Upon trying to find the vegan meal options in stores this proved to be a little bit of a hunter-gatherer mission often finding the My Muscle Chef meals in Coles and IGA stores, however, lacking the vegan range. I was wanting to choose options that would suit some lunchtime cravings and dinner convenience after a busy day of work and between training.
After reviewing the portion sizes on first impression I was really happy to see volume! Often a stigma vegan meals have attached to them is that you have to eat a LOT to feel satisfied and full when eating vegan, this isn’t the case. It’s all about getting the ingredients right focusing attention on macronutrients are a great way to set up a plate of food to determine its protein, fat and carbohydrate contributions and My Muscle Chef has conveniently mapped this out for consumers not only for those wanting to track portion controls but for those that are consciously trying to ensure they eat enough of a certain macronutrient throughout the day i.e. protein or carbohydrates for satiety or optimising training performance/ recovery.
Although the convenience is in the packaged meal, it doesn’t mean you have to eat from the container too – no judgments if that’s a part of the time hacking appeal. I wanted to put the meals to the real test, putting it in a bowl and serving it with the portrayed ignorance is bliss, as if it was a home-cooked meal that was slaved over.
Following the heating guide, I heated the meals within the microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds (fresh meal, not frozen) with the plastic film left on to encapsulate the heat. Then leaving the meal to stand for 1 minute, remove the film and stir well to distribute the heat. If it needs a bit longer return to the microwave until you reach the desired temperature sweet spot.
So, I did what I was told, I heated the meal until just right and transferred it to a bowl for the real test. The one thing I will admit to is from the start I felt apprehensive about the smashed avocado not being freshly smashed and served – and how it would withstand the heating process. The avocado did admittedly hold up quite well despite my burning doubts!
The vegetable lasagne I wanted to eat from the container – the real meal delivery service experience. I imagine most people would be eating their meals like this because
a. No washing up
b. It’s quicker
c. A more convenient way of eating when in the office or on the run.
This meal was by far my favourite, it felt like more of a home-cooked meal. It was tasty and visually you could see a handful of different veggies distributed throughout the meal.
