Planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning every day can quickly eat into the little free time you have. Therefore, it’s no surprise that meal prepping has taken off in the UK, with 73% of people doing it to save time and 60% aiming to eat healthier. But, while prepping helps, it still eats into your evenings and weekends.
That’s where time-saving meal delivery changes the game. Ready-made meal plans remove the hidden hours that go into keeping yourself fed, while still providing access to fresh and balanced food.
We’re exploring seven ways they help you reclaim hours each week, how much time you could save (spoiler: it adds up to around seven hours a week) and how switching to a quick meal delivery service like Frive can give you back more of your day.
At a glance: 7 time-saving benefits of ready-made meal plans
- - Ready-made plans can save you up to 7 hours per week by cutting out planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning.
- - 73% of people meal prep to save time, and 60% do it for health, but delivery services remove the weekend prep altogether.
- - Ideal for busy professionals, parents, students, fitness-focused people and anyone who feels time-poor.
- - Meal prep delivery services like Frive often cost less than DIY cooking, once you account for food waste, impulse buys and hidden expenses.
Who benefits the most from ready-made meal plans?
Ready-made meal plans are designed for anyone who wants to eat well without spending hours in the kitchen, including:
- - Busy professionals who want healthy lunches and dinners without spending limited time on shopping or cooking.
- - Parents juggling family life and looking for quick, nutritious options everyone can enjoy. Especially helpful for new parents!
- - Fitness-focused individuals who need balanced, protein-rich meals to support training and recovery.
- - Students who are managing studies and part-time work while trying to eat better on a budget.
- - Older adults who want convenient, wholesome food without the effort of daily cooking.
- - Anyone feeling time-poor who wants to reclaim evenings and weekends from meal prep.
- - Health-conscious individuals looking for healthy, nutritional meals that taste good, without the hassle
Frive’s Harissa & Tahini Chicken Thighs. Try it now!
7 Time-Saving Benefits of Switching to Ready-Made Meal Plans
Ready-made meal plans take the hidden hours out of eating well. Below are seven practical wins for busy lives.
1. No more meal planning stress
Constant decisions drain focus. Researchers describe how time pressure and decision load reduce our capacity for careful choices, which is why simplifying food decisions helps you stick to healthier patterns. Ready-made meal plans eliminate the frustrating “what’s for dinner?” debate, allowing you to focus your brainpower elsewhere.
2. Say goodbye to supermarket queues
The big weekly shop still dominates in the UK, and in-store time adds up fast. One survey found Brits typically spend just over 37 minutes per store visit and go several times each week. Many shoppers also tend to abandon their baskets after about six minutes in a queue. Skip the trips and you claw back meaningful time, or spend it enjoying a healthier reset.
3. Cut down on cooking time
Home prep times have been trending down, yet dinner still takes around half an hour on average, and lunch often takes around 15 minutes. Ready-made plans replace that active cook time with a few minutes of reheating, saving time on busy days. Studies on meal kits and prepared options also highlight convenience and time saved as one of the core benefits.
4. Clean-up becomes minimal
Every homemade meal ends with washing up and clearing surfaces. Time-use data show UK adults spend a notable slice of the day on “making food and drinks,” and food industry tracking notes rising demand for options that are easy to prepare and clean up. Fewer pots and pans mean less time at the sink.
5. Free up time for what really matters
Add up the minutes spent planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning, and before you know it, you’re reclaiming hours across a week by switching to ready-made meal prep. Cutting out store trips alone can return one to two hours that can be used for family time, workouts or rest.
6. Boost your productivity and focus
People report a performance lift when they take a proper lunch break, and simplified meals make breaks more consistent. A recent study found 98% of workers believe lunch breaks strengthen job performance. Ready-made plans make it easier to take that break and refuel.
7. Build better routines with less effort
Habits often decide what we eat when life gets busy, and relying on them can either help or hold us back. Ready-made meal plans make it easier to build routines that actually work for you, providing structure without the need for constant willpower.
Habit stacking takes it a step further by linking a new behaviour to one you already do automatically. For example, if you always make a morning coffee, adding the step of grabbing a Frive meal for later means healthy eating becomes the default rather than an afterthought.
How much time can ready-made meal plans really save?
When you add it all up, preparing meals from scratch takes a lot more time than most people realise.
UK adults typically spend around 45–60 minutes a day on preparing food and drinks, with dinner often taking the largest share of that time. Cleaning up adds even more time, often pushing total meal prep time well beyond an hour.
Put together, the cycle of planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning adds up to around seven hours or more each week, which is almost a full working day. Switching to a ready-made meal plan replaces that effort with a few minutes of heating and serving.
A simple side-by-side comparison helps put it into perspective:
| Task | Traditional home cooking/ meal prepping | Frive |
|---|---|---|
| Planning meals | 1–2 hrs per week | 0 hrs |
| Supermarket shopping | 2–3 hrs per week (multiple trips averaging 37 mins each) | 0 hrs |
| Cooking | 3–4 hrs+ per week | 20–30 mins (heating) |
| Washing up | 98 minutes per week | 20–30 mins (light dishes) |
| Total time | 7+ hrs per week | Under 1 hr per week |
If you’re curious how this works in practice, take a look at how to save 7 hours a week by rethinking your food habits.
Time vs. cost trade-off
With food prices climbing, it’s natural to wonder if meal prep delivery plans are worth it. In many cases, they can actually save money. Services like Frive eliminate hidden costs that accumulate with home cooking, from wasted ingredients to impulse purchases.
The average UK household spends up to £470 on food that is thrown away every year. Factor in fuel, top-up shops and energy bills from daily cooking, and the weekly food budget looks higher than it first appears.
| Expenses (per week) | DIY grocery prep | Frive meal prep delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly food shop | £31–72 | £35–55 |
| Fuel/delivery cost | £5–20 | £0–6 |
| Food waste | £13 | £0 |
| Average meal cost | £6–9 | £7.75–£8.20 (meat, fish and vegan main meals) |
| Total weekly spend | £41–£125 | £35–£60 |
A Frive meal prep delivery costs between £35 and £60 per week compared with a typical DIY grocery spend that easily ends up costing anywhere from £41 to £125 once you factor in waste and extra trips. So not only does Frive save you around 7 hours per week, but it can also be much cheaper.
Frive’s Grilled Rib-Eye Steak. Available now
Why choose Frive for fast, fuss-free meals?
Frive takes the stress out of eating well by delivering fresh, chef-prepared meals straight to your door. Every dish is built from high-quality ingredients (100% free of ultra-processed ingredients) and designed by nutritionists to give you balanced energy without the effort of planning or cooking.
Meals arrive ready to heat in minutes, making Frive one of the most reliable options for anyone looking for fast meal delivery that doesn’t compromise on quality.
Customers often highlight just how much difference the service makes. One shared:
“The food is brilliant. Nutritious, well-balanced and varied. I’m a fussy eater and I was so surprised. Healthy eating has become so easy on the days you have no time.”
Another said:
“I absolutely could not recommend Frive more. I use this for lunch and dinner 5 days a week. I work full-time in A&E and have my own small business. By using Frive, I’m saving so much time and stress (and no food waste).”
With flexible weekly plans, organic ingredients where possible and a menu that changes regularly, Frive makes healthy eating simple and consistent, even when life isn’t.
Less time in the kitchen, more time for you
Switching to a ready-made meal plan is one of the easiest ways to reclaim time in your week. Instead of hours spent planning, shopping and cleaning, you can enjoy chef-prepared meals that are balanced and nutritious. A time-saving meal delivery service like Frive gives you back up to seven hours a week, without sacrificing quality or health.
More than just convenient, meal prep delivery plans result in no wasted ingredients, no last-minute supermarket runs, and no evenings lost to cooking when you’d rather be with your family or putting your feet up.
Frive makes it all simple with whole-food recipes, nutritionist-approved meals, and meal plans catered to a range of dietary requirements, including high protein, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, halal and more. If you’re ready to spend less time in the kitchen and more time living, explore Frive’s meal plans today and see how easy healthy eating can be.
FAQs
How much time can ready-made meal plans save?
Switching to ready-made plans can save up to seven hours every week by removing the need to plan meals, write shopping lists, visit supermarkets, cook from scratch and scrub dishes afterwards. Instead of spending a full evening or weekend day on food prep, you simply heat, serve and enjoy.
Who benefits most from ready-made meal plans?
They are ideal for busy professionals, parents, students, fitness enthusiasts and anyone short on time who still wants fresh, balanced meals. Whether you’re juggling a demanding job, caring for a family or managing studies and part-time work, ready-made plans provide consistent nutrition without the stress of daily decision making.
Are ready-made meals as healthy as home cooking?
Yes, when meals are nutritionist-approved, portion-controlled and built from whole ingredients. Services that focus on natural produce and balanced macros can match or even exceed typical home-cooked meals for nutrition, helping you maintain energy, manage calories and avoid the hidden salt and fat often found in takeaways.
Do ready-made meal plans cost more than cooking at home?
Not necessarily. When you factor in food waste, impulse buys, extra supermarket trips and the energy cost of daily cooking, many people find weekly delivery plans cost the same or even less than DIY grocery prep. Predictable pricing also makes budgeting easier and reduces unexpected expenses.
How long do ready-made meals stay fresh?
Most meals stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge, and many can be frozen for longer storage without losing flavour or texture. This gives you flexibility to spread meals across the week, avoid mid-week shopping and keep healthy options on hand even when your schedule changes.
How quickly can meals be served?
Most ready-made dishes are fully cooked and ready to reheat in just 3–5 minutes, either in the microwave or oven. This means you can enjoy a hot, balanced lunch or dinner faster than ordering takeaway, making it easier to stay on track with healthy eating even on the busiest days.
Can ready-made meal plans help reduce food waste?
Yes. Ready-made plans provide pre-portioned meals that use exactly what is needed for each dish, which significantly cuts down on leftover ingredients and spoiled produce. By receiving only what you’ll eat, you avoid unnecessary top-up shops, save money on groceries and help reduce the average household food waste of nearly £470 per year in the UK.
