Are gourmet kits healthy?

We spend almost £2 billion a year on ready meals in Britain, even though we know the vast majority are not very good for our health. But soon there will be a new "prepacked" range of meals available in supermarkets allowing time-poor commuters to get a decent evening meal courtesy of upmarket company Rocket, which offers a wide range of "high-quality" gourmet meal kits containing preprepared ingredients.

The meals, previously available from kiosks at London stations, look sophisticated - and cost almost £8 for a meal for one, £13 for two - but are they any better for you than a supermarket packet? We asked nutritional expert Amanda Wynne of the British Dietetic Association. (All nutritional values are per 100g)

Rocket Chicken Korma

(£3.90 for 1): energy 145kcals (509 per 350g pack), sugar 4.9g, fat 8.7g, salt 0.5g

M&S Chicken Korma

(£3.89 for 1): energy 150kcals (525 per 350g pack), sugar 2.2g, fat 9.2g, salt 0.7g In general, ready-meal curries are crammed with salt, fat and saturated fatty acids. The M&S korma, containing cream, coconut milk and nuts, is slightly higher in calories, salt, fat and saturated fatty acids. To turn this into a balanced meal, both need to be served with wholegrain rice and a side salad.

Rocket Chicken, Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta
(£9.90 for 2): energy 183kcal, sugar 0.9g, fat 9.2g, salt 0.6g

M&S Chicken Arrabbiata (£4.99 for 2): energy 105kcal, sugar 2.9g, fat 3.2g, salt 0.7g The Rocket meal is quite high in fat at 36g per portion (the cheese being the main contributor) - this is more than half the fat recommendation for women on a healthy diet. A much better option would be the M&S Chicken Arrabbiata with only 350kcal and 10.7g fat per one third of a pack. The M&S option could be served with a large green salad to make it into a healthy meal.

M&S Chicken Provençal 20.9g (£4.49 for 2): 85kcal, sugar (2.3g), fat (2.7g), salt (0.8g) The M&S Chicken Provençal would be a better option than the Tuscan Chicken at 185kcal per half-pack compared with 539kcal for the latter. The Tuscan chicken contains sunflower oil and hard cheese, and there is also a small amount of salami, which is high in fat. There is also monounsaturated fat from olive oil, but it is healthier than the saturated fats found in the cheese and salami. In the Chicken Provençal, the chicken and tomatoes constitute 90 per cent of the ingredients. We should aim to choose ready meals which have primarily lean meat and vegetables and watch out for the fatty foods such as highfat cheeses and processed meats such as salami.

Rocket Lemon Cheese Cake (£3.80 for 2): energy 392kcal, carbohydrate 19.4g, fat 35.1

M&S Lemon Cheese Cake (£1.99 for 2): energy 105kcal, carbohydrate 11.1g, fat 3.2g Both lemon cheese cakes are high in energy, fat and sugar, but Rocket's, containing 36 per cent cheese and 27 per cent double cream, is particularly high in fat (35.1g). This provides half the recommended daily intake for a woman.

Rocket Chocolate Mousse (£1.90 for 1): energy 374kcal, carbohydrate 34.7g, fat

M&S Chocolate Mousse (£.0.99 for 1): energy 330kcal, carbohydrate 32.6g, fat 20.6g Again, the chocolate mousses are high in calories, fat and sugar, Rocket values being slightly higher. These types of foods are okay as an occasional treat but contribute little to the diet from a nutritional point of view. Fruit-based desserts would be a much better option.