\u2022 Fat jabs UK: the year we got thinner \u2014 and what it means for our future<\/a><\/p>\n Smaller than regular meals and packed with protein, fibre, healthy fats and vitamins and minerals, the new ranges include dinners, lunches, desserts and drinks, most of which are designed to be eaten cold or microwaved, with none of the hassle of preparing a meal from scratch. <\/p>\n Weight-loss drugs are quietly reshaping not just diets, but the way we shop for food<\/p>\n OSCAR WONG\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Morrisons\u2019 53 \u201cGLP-1-friendly\u201d products have been produced in partnership with the health brand Applied Nutrition and include staples such as cheese and bread. Marks & Spencer\u2019s Nutrient Dense range<\/a> has 20 products and the Co-op\u2019s healthy Good Fuel range now includes four mini meals \u201cspecially developed for shoppers with smaller appetites\u201d. Last week Ocado, whose range of six ready meals and eight juices is supplied by Press Healthfoods, went one step further with its launch of an \u201cextra small\u201d 100g steak for shoppers who can no longer stomach a regular size.<\/p>\n So are these cynical attempts to profit from an obesity problem the food industry has been instrumental in fuelling? Or necessary additions to accommodate the seismic shift in the way we eat?<\/p>\n \u201cA home-cooked meal is always going to be more natural and nutritionally dense than a shop-bought version,\u201d says Laura Southern, a nutritionist and the founder of London Food Therapy. \u201cHowever, for people on GLP-1s who struggle with portion control and getting the right nutrition and don\u2019t have the time or capacity to cook, there is definitely a place for these ranges.\u201d<\/p>\n So which offer the most health benefits \u2014 and taste the best?<\/p>\n \u2022 The inside story of how Ozempic conquered the world<\/a><\/p>\n Vegetarian options 255g, 364 calories, 12g fibre, 15g protein, 16g fat Ocado Press Healthfoods Chilli-Tofu Noodle Stir-Fry, \u00a34.50<\/p>\n 200g, 286 calories, 3.1g fibre, 15.9g protein, 6g fat Co-op Good Fuel Roasted Butternut with Spiced Beans & Grains, \u00a33.50<\/p>\n 250g, 342 calories, 12g fibre, 12g protein, 7.8g fat Ocado Press Healthfoods Spicy Orzo Arrabbiata, \u00a35.25<\/p>\n 370g, 363 calories, 5.3g fibre, 20g protein, 8.9g fat \u2022 Read more expert advice on healthy living, fitness and wellbeing<\/a><\/p>\n Lunchtime bites 285g, 413 calories, 18g fibre, 23g protein, 16.5g fat Ocado Press Healthfoods Turkey & Lentil Spaghetti Bolognese, \u00a35.20<\/p>\n 200g, 316 calories, 4.6g fibre, 18.6g protein, 10.2g fat Morrisons Applied Nutrition Small & Balanced Sweet Chilli King Prawn Noodles, \u00a33.75<\/p>\n 280g, 325 calories, 4.9g fibre, 16.4g protein, 6.2g fat Co-op Good Fuel Teriyaki Chicken & Veg Noodles, \u00a33.50<\/p>\n 280g, 298 calories, 4.5g fibre, 19g protein, 7.5g fat![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\/ec84e344-6eb4-40de-b874-f05adb07a2ba.jpg\")
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M&S Nutrient Dense Cauliflower Shawarma & 5 Bean Houmous, \u00a33.50<\/p>\n
Health rating: 4.5\/5
Taste: 4\/5
I love the tangy lemon flavour of this colourful salad bowl, which has red cabbage to give it an appealing crunch and more mouthfeel than some of the other dishes, courtesy of its five-bean dip and olive oil. But even with red rice for extra carbohydrates, it leaves me hungry half an hour later. \u201cAdding cannellini, butter, black and soy beans to the usual chickpeas in this dip is a clever way of increasing the range of fibre to support gut health,\u201d Southern says. \u201cAnd natural seasoning, which has trace nutrients and which a lot of these meals contain, is a fantastic way of making food appetising, whether you\u2019re on GLP-1s or not. The turmeric in this bowl, for example, is anti-inflammatory.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health rating: 4\/5
Taste: 3\/5
One of Ocado\u2019s smaller dishes. The tofu allowance, at 20 per cent, feels generous, but the overall effect is not so much stir-fry as slightly soggy with limp broccoli and sad-looking edamame alongside five other vegetables including red pepper and carrot. I am a wuss when it comes to spicy foods but can barely taste the chilli. \u201cTofu is one of the highest plant-based sources of protein, low in saturated fat, high in fibre and compounds that support hormonal balance,\u201d Southern says. \u201cThere\u2019s also a good mix of vegetables here, which will increase intake of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health rating: 4\/5
Taste: 3\/5
A not particularly appetising-looking bowl of large orange chunks, which contains 32 per cent butternut squash, plus chickpeas, cannellini beans and butter beans with brown rice and grains in tomato sauce. Stodgy and a bit dry, it\u2019s hard work to finish. \u201cThere\u2019s a good mix of grains and butternut squash is high in soluble fibre, which is important for the transit of food in the gut, which weight loss injections slow,\u201d Southern says. \u201cAnd with the exception of a bit of cornflour and citric acid, it\u2019s also free of UPFs \u2014 ultra-processed food.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health rating: 3.5\/5
Taste: 3\/5
With artfully shot pictures of vegetables printed on sleek white cardboard sleeves, this range looks the most stylish and is vacuum-packed for freshness (meaning it makes a disconcerting whistling sound as you microwave it.) However, although filling, the plant-based mince and vegetables here, including spinach and courgette, are a bit bland. \u201cThe plant-based mince, made from pea protein, is a clever way of making this dish high in protein and there\u2019s a good balance of vegetables,\u201d Southern says. \u201cBut this is a posh version of tomato pasta, which you could easily make at home.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Collage](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\/749ae7a2-486f-49e0-9c31-4929008a9b59.jpg\")
M&S Nutrient Dense Nutty Super Wholefood, \u00a33.50<\/p>\n
Health rating: 5\/5
Taste: 4\/4
With 15 plants from quinoa to edamame beans and pumpkin seeds, plenty of crunch, courtesy of peanuts, almond and pistachios, a creamy cannellini bean and sesame tahini dip, and soy and ginger dressing, this salad is more exciting than anything I would make myself and leaves me pleasantly full. \u201cIf you\u2019re buying ready-cooked meals I\u2019d always advise choosing ingredients you wouldn\u2019t necessarily cook with to diversify your diet,\u201d Southern says. \u201cFor many this will include tahini, a good source of calcium, iron and essential fats and easily absorbable for people on GLP-1s whose digestion might have slowed. Quinoa is high in fibre and protein and at 23g this is a very high-protein food. Plus there are no UPFs. I\u2019m impressed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health rating: 4\/5
Taste: 3\/5
The spaghetti is hidden under the turkey mince, which looks more of an orange-hued mulch, the onion, carrot and celery adding only limited flavour. A meal that would perhaps appeal more to a fussy child than an adult. \u201cNonetheless, it\u2019s good to see a ready meal contain a meat other than chicken or beef,\u201d Southern says. \u201cTurkey contains tryptophan, a source of serotonin important for sleep and mood, and the lentils are good for adding bulk without the saturated fat of meat. From a nutritional standpoint, this is a good choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health rating: 2\/5
Taste: 3\/5
This does have a kick and plenty of flavour, which my husband describes as \u201ca bit chemically, but not in a horrible way\u201d. We count four prawns (the ingredients list states prawns comprise 13 per cent of the item) and although the noodle content isn\u2019t listed it feels quite high. I prefer my edamame beans, in this and a lot of other GLP-1 dishes, cold. \u201cThese wheat noodles are made from processed white flour, which we digest easily, spiking blood sugar levels which can lead to weight gain,\u201d Southern says. \u201cThere are also a few processed foods in this, such as thickeners, sugar and salt. Nutritionally speaking, it\u2019s not awful, but if it\u2019s your one meal a day you could definitely do better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health rating: 2\/5
Taste: 2.5\/5
The teriyaki marinade is watery and although the vegetables include red pepper, onion, carrot and pak choi, and there is 18 per cent chicken, the only lasting impression I\u2019m left with is of the noodles, which make up 30 per cent of the meal. My son, meanwhile, describes it as \u201ctasteless\u201d. At half the price of M&S\u2019s chicken dish, the difference in quality is sadly obvious. \u201cIdeally simple carbohydrates should take up only a quarter of your plate and this isn\u2019t very high in fibre,\u201d Southern says. \u201cCompared to the others it seems unnecessarily processed, with fewer natural ingredients \u2014 and it\u2019s easy to make a healthy chicken and noodle dish yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Ocado Press Healthfoods Fiery Caribbean Jerk Chicken, \u00a35.95<\/p>\n