Last month (or maybe the month before, who knows these days?!) I took part in a zoom tasting session with some other bloggers and the team behind Field Doctor which recently launched in Bristol and Bath. A sign of the times perhaps but it made for an enjoyable lunch break from work. Field Doctor have created a selection of healthy frozen ready meals which are ‘nutritionally supercharged’ and made from organic, sustainable ingredients. With nutritional science at the forefront of their minds, these frozen ready meals are designed to deliver all the flavour and goodness you wouldn’t normally associate with something that comes in a cardboard sleeve ready for the microwave.
I have to admit, this is the first (and probably only) time you’ll see frozen ready meals on this blog. But you know me, I’m always keen to try something new!
On the day of the zoom call, we heard from executive chef Matt Williamson and nutritional expert and co-founder Sasha Wilson. They talked about the importance of quality with sustainability at the heart of their recipes and organic meat and MSC certified fish throughout. Each meal is completely balanced to give two of your five a day with the right vitamins and minerals for good gut health. They also source sustainable ingredients and use organic meat in all their ready meals.
The good and the bad…
On the day of the zoom call, Dave and I had their Malaysian Tofu Curry and British Fish Pie. Both were delicious and really filling despite looking small in their boxes. This is due to the use of grains, nuts and pulses in the dishes which help you feel fuller for longer. Unusual but tasty and sometimes not even noticeable. I also enjoyed the sweet potato mash on the fish pie.
A few weeks later we’d had a busy day and couldn’t be bothered to cook. A perfect opportunity to try the remaining dishes Field Doctor had sent me. Chicken Jalfrezi for Dave and Beef and Quinoa Meatballs for me. Personally, the meatballs were not to my liking. They were under seasoned and tasted pretty bland. I’m a fan of big punchy flavours and this just wasn’t for me. I’ll admit I added a hefty sprinkle of salt and a dollop of crispy chilli oil to finish the thing. Probably defeating the object but hey ho! Flavour first in my kitchen. The chicken jalfrezi was tastier though and the chicken, though sparing in amount, was very tasty despite having been cooked, frozen and reheated.
Misrepresentation?
I do have to raise one concern – and that’s around the Malaysian Tofu Curry. If you’re going to call something a specific cuisine, you need to make sure it’s just that. Otherwise, the word ‘inspired’ needs including. Taking a look at the ingredients – green beans, asparagus, mushrooms and cashews – these vegetables don’t feel overly Malaysian. Same with the Persian Chicken (although I didn’t taste this one) – ingredients include spinach, peas, broad beans and linseed with only a nod to Persian flavour with the pomegranate molasses. I’m not saying these dishes aren’t tasty, just that perhaps Field Doctor, as a fully white team, need to think about how they represent food from other cultures.
Ready meals but not as you know them…
I’ve never been a frozen ready meal kind of girl and never will be but overall, Field Doctor has impressed me. For a healthy frozen ready meal, the ones I’ve tried are actually really tasty, surprisingly so! The convenience factor will appeal to athletes and busy conscious eaters but as someone who enjoys cooking and uses it to relax, I don’t know that they’ll become a regular purchase for me.
Good on Field Doctor for tackling the convenience market with a fresh, innovative approach to healthy frozen ready meals. Their packaging clearly highlights the health benefits of each meal (there are LOADS!) and their range includes vegan, vegetarian and GF options. They’re available to buy online for delivery in Bristol and Bath at the moment and each meal costs £5.95 for a single or £9.95 for a double serving.
If you’d like to try them for yourself, I have a special code to get you £10 off your first order: Simply plug in FBGINGEYBITES10 at checkout for your discount.
