I found the top three most popular ready-made meals bought from the 7-Eleven in Ngee Ann Polytechnic and reviewed its taste and its nutritional benefits and downsides.
13 Feb, 2020
By Sarah Lim Xue’er
In recent years, more people are turning to ready-made meals at convenience stores to keep their stomachs full.
According to Channel NewsAsia, convenience store chain Cheers reported a steady growth of sales in ready-made meals, growing by 10 per cent each year.
Ms Santhi D/O Sithravelu, an employee at the 7-Eleven outlet in Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), says that an average of 50-70 students purchase ready-made meals at their store each day.
Cheng Yi Jun, an 18-year-old student from NP, depends on ready-made meals at least twice a week.
“It’s super convenient and fast. You chuck it in the microwave, press a few buttons, and it’s a nice, hot meal,” he says. Despite that, he worries about his health.
He mentions that the preservatives found in these meals could lead to various cancers and that the high sodium content could encourage obesity.
The top three most popular ready-made meals in NP are the Butter Chicken Biryani, Macaroni and Cheese, and Egg and Cheese sandwich. I did a taste-test of these meals, and with the help of Ms Maykalavaane D/O Narayanan, a life sciences lecturer in NP, we reviewed their ingredient lists to see out how nutritionally acceptable they are.
1. Butter Chicken Biryani (with Fragrant Basmati Rice)
According to MyFitnessPal, a fitness mobile application by Under Armour, one serving of 7-Eleven’s Butter Chicken Biryani is 540kcal. Photo by Sarah Lim Xue’er
The gravy of the biryani was smooth and buttery. Although I found it too savoury, I enjoyed its spicy kick. Despite the gravy being overpowering, the chicken was dry and it did not absorb a lot of its flavour.
Ms Maykalavaane was quick to mention that the numerous spices in this dish actually packed a lot of nutritional benefits. For example, cinnamon helps to cut down the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardamom seeds help to cut down fat content. However, she said that salt, sugar, and MSG are mentioned multiple times on the ingredient list, which should be a cause for concern.
Priced at $3.90, every component of the Buttered Chicken Biryani is prepared using spices. These spices include lemongrass, star anise, Pandan leaves, Cumin, and many more. Photo by Sarah Lim Xue’er
2. Macaroni & Cheese
According to MyFitnessPal, a fitness mobile application by Under Armour, one serving of 7-Eleven’s Macaroni and Cheese is 358kcal. Photo by Sarah Lim Xue’er
The cheese was melty and the macaroni was soft and cooked to the perfect temperature. It would have been better if they added dices or small pieces of vegetables into the dish.
Despite the meal being fortified with Vitamin A and Vitamin D3, I felt that the high amounts of sodium and carbohydrates, as well as the lack of other nutrients, is worrying. The processed chicken ham found in this meal is also not completely made out of chicken meat – it is a mixture of soy protein, potato starch, and preservative mix. Ms Maykalavaane also mentioned that the high amounts of cheese bump up the amount of fats found in this meal.
Priced at $4.20, 7-Eleven’s Macaroni and Cheese contains many dairy ingredients, making it higher in fat content. Photo by Sarah Lim Xue’er
3. Egg and Cheese sandwich
Consumers are recommended to eat their sandwiches chilled, but it is also possible for the sandwiches to be microwaved and eaten warm. Photo by Sarah Lim Xue’er
In between two slices of sweet and fluffy white bread comprised of butter, a slice of American cheese, mashed boiled eggs mixed with mayonnaise that melted in your mouth and two bigger slices of egg. The yolks of the eggs were a pretty yellowish-orange.
Although the eggs are a good source of protein, Ms Maykalavaane pointed out that salt is mentioned seven times in the ingredient list. The two sandwiches alone contain 731mg of sodium, nearly hitting the recommended maximum of 800mg per meal. On top of that, the butter and mayonnaise heighten the amount of unnecessary fat.
Overall, out of the three meals, the flavourful Buttered Chicken Biryani was my favourite. It filled my stomach for the longest time and the spices packed the meal with the most nutritional benefits.
However, I see many nutritional downsides in these popular ready-made foods. I would not recommend eating it regularly.
Miss Maykalavaane shares tips on how to be healthier even when we eat such foods.
Students can look out for the healthier choice symbol on ready-made foods, as well as what shows up in the ingredient list. More vitamins can be obtained by adding in a piece of fruit in each meal. Drinking more water helps to flush sodium out of the body, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and other heart diseases. Ready-made meals at higher price points also tend to be healthier due to the quality of the ingredients used.
“It’s about being more mindful of what you eat. At the end of the day, it’s all about the choices you make.” Miss Maykalavaane says.
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