Whilst Chefgood aims to use natural, wholefood ingredients, and no hidden sugars, they do contain preservatives. Preservatives such as 202, 220 and 222 were noted in some of the meals – these are sorbates and sulphites. Sulphites can cause allergy-like symptoms in some individuals. Many of the meals I chose were also very high in sodium, for example, the Vegan Singapore Noodles contained 1330mg and the Gnocchi with Short Genovese Style Pesto had 1,687mg of sodium – which is well over half of our recommended daily intake of sodium! (2,000mg/day). Overall, there are a lot of ingredients in their meals, and I would argue that many of these ingredients are not whole foods. I always encourage people to choose readymade meals with fewer ingredients, predominately wholefoods, with limited or no preservatives and additives. Some of my recommendations include Garden of Vegan and Dietlicious. 

The overall protein content of the meals ranged from 7g – 26g, with most meals averaging around 17g. The Roast Pumpkin Curry, Coconut Rice (Guest Chef Series) contained the lowest amount of protein. For a top-rated readymade meal service, I was disappointed to see these lower amounts of protein – we should be aiming for at least 20g with each meal to ensure they are nutritionally balanced and complete. Other readymade meal services that do a better job of providing more protein include Be Fit Food and MACROS. The sources of protein used were primarily dairy based with limited amounts of beans or tofu. It would be great to see some more high-quality proteins used in Chefgood’s vegetarian and vegan meals to increase the total protein and nutrient content of their readymade meals. 

The was a mix of complex (unprocessed) and simple (processed) carbohydrates used in meals, however the majority of carbohydrates were refined sources, specifically, the meals which contained pasta. If you are aiming to lose weight, or simply eat better, choosing meals with complex sources of carbohydrates is a good choice as these contain more nutrients, including fibre, and keep us feeling fuller for longer. 

All the meals contained vegetables and I was always pleased to visibly identify a variety of vegetables in my meals including potatoes, spinach, broccoli, and tomato. The Singapore Noodles appeared to contain the most vegetables – they appeared vibrant and fresh too. I estimate each meal provided the equivalent of one serve of vegetables, and so if you were consuming a Chefgood readymade meal for lunch as well, along with some healthy vegetable-based snacks throughout the day, Chefgood’s meals can contribute to your five serves of vegetables a day. 

The breakfast options (whilst delicious) did contain a high amount of sugar due to the use of sweetened almond milk and coconut milk along with fruit. As this is the first meal of the day, I always recommend aiming for a low-sugar option with a good source of protein and fibre to sustain energy levels and stop the “crash” before lunch. There other breakfast options were limited, with only three savoury options.

Chefgood offers a range of options to suit dietary preferences including High Protein and Weight Loss. The meals are made using locally sourced, predominately wholefood ingredients. However, the meals are not preservative-free, some are high in sodium (1000mg+/meal), and they do contain a lot of ingredients compared to other healthy readymade meal services such as Dietlicious.