Ready Meals: What They Really Mean For You (2025)

BBC One takes a critical look at the environmental impact of a modern food staple with “Ready Meals: What They Really Mean for You. Justin Rowlatt, Michelle Ackerley, and Fran Scott join forces to examine the carbon footprint of these convenient dinners, from the farm where ingredients are grown to the moment they become waste.

This investigative program aims to uncover the true cost of convenience, exploring each stage of a ready meal’s life cycle and examining whether greener technologies can make a difference. Justin Rowlatt goes hands-on, attempting to create his own low-carbon ready meal, a task that proves more difficult than it sounds. Meanwhile, Michelle Ackerley looks at the impact of palm oil and the possibility of brewing up plant-based fats as a replacement.