Supermarket Low-Calorie Meals vs. Fresh Meal Prep – Which is Better

At Macro Based Diet, we know that more people than ever are looking for healthy, convenient meals to fit their busy lifestyles. Supermarkets like ASDA, Iceland, and Morrisons have jumped on the trend, offering their own range of low-calorie and high-protein meals. But are these really as good as they seem? And how do they compare to freshly prepared, macro-counted meal prep from a specialist company like ours?

Let’s break it down and see why fresh meal prep wins every time.

Quality & Ingredients

Macro Based Diet: Uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients with no artificial preservatives or unnecessary fillers. Every meal is designed with health and performance in mind.
Supermarket Meals: Mass-produced with cheaper ingredients, extended shelf life, and often contain preservatives, additives, and stabilisers to keep them looking fresh.

The Difference? Supermarket meals prioritise cost and shelf life over real nutrition and quality. Freshly prepared meals use real ingredients, cooked daily for the best taste and nutrition.

Portion Accuracy & Macros

Macro Based Diet: Every meal is accurately weighed and macro-counted to ensure you get the exact nutrients stated. Ideal for fat loss, muscle building, or maintaining weight.
Supermarket Meals: Labels can be misleading—some meals round down calories or underreport macros, making it harder to track your intake.

The Difference? If you’re serious about tracking your macros, you need precision. Our meals are made for people who care about their nutrition and performance.

Freshness & Cooking Process

Macro Based Diet: Cooked fresh every week, immediately blast chilled, and delivered directly to you for maximum freshness.
Supermarket Meals: Often made weeks before hitting the shelves, stored chilled or frozen, and use processing techniques to extend shelf life at the cost of taste and nutrition.

The Difference? Fresh meal prep is made specifically for you, ensuring you get high-quality food at peak freshness rather than something sitting in a supermarket fridge for days.

Taste & Texture

Macro Based Diet: Meals are prepared using real herbs, spices, and cooking methods to enhance flavour naturally.
Supermarket Meals: Often rely on sauces, artificial flavourings, or added sugars to make up for lost taste from long storage times.

The Difference? With fresh meal prep, you get properly seasoned, fresh-tasting food that doesn’t feel like diet food. Supermarket meals can taste processed and bland.

Convenience & Delivery

Macro Based Diet: Delivered straight to your door, ready to eat in minutes—no shopping, no meal prep, no stress.
Supermarket Meals: Require a trip to the shop, and availability varies. Some options are often sold out or lack variety.

The Difference? Genuine convenience means meals delivered directly to you, ready to eat when you need them.

Support & Customisation

Macro Based Diet: We provide personalised portion sizes, calorie options, and macro breakdowns to match your specific goals.
Supermarket Meals: One-size-fits-all approach with limited variety and no customisation.

The Difference? If you need specific calorie or macro goals, a specialist meal prep company like Macro Based Diet is the way to go.

Real Customer Feedback

We’ve had many customers switch from supermarket meals to our fresh meal prep, and here’s what they’ve said:

“I used to buy supermarket healthy meals, but they were bland, small, and never filled me up. Since switching to Macro Based Diet, I’m eating fresh meals that actually help me hit my fitness goals.”

“Supermarket meals always had loads of hidden salt and sugar. With Macro Based Diet, I know exactly what I’m getting, and I feel way better for it.”

The Verdict – Why Fresh Meal Prep Wins

Supermarket meal prep might seem cheap and convenient, but it falls short in terms of quality, freshness, and precision nutrition. If you’re serious about health, fitness, or weight loss, choosing fresh, macro-counted meal prep like Macro Based Diet will always deliver better results, better taste, and better nutrition.

Ready to Taste the Difference?

If you want fresh, high-quality meal prep that’s designed for results, order from Macro Based Diet today. We deliver across the UK, so you can enjoy nutritious, delicious meals with zero effort.

➡️ Explore our menu & place your order HERE