A recent listeria contamination in ready-made meals has led to an urgent recall after one person has died following infection.
A further nine cases have been confirmed as over 140 meals and side dishes have been recalled by the Food Safety Authority.
With many people living busy lives and turning to these meals as a healthy dinner on the go, can we rely on these ready-made meals in future, or are we better off cooking from scratch?
GP from Ennis Centric Health Dr Maire Finn warned that listeria bacteria is not killed even if the meal is frozen.
“[Listeria] is something we talk about, but we don’t really often kind of see it as being a real threat, and so this situation is quite frightening for people,” she told Lunchtime Live.
“But look, they’ve identified where it is, they’ve identified the product, so just be cautious.
"Go to the extent of getting rid of products if there’s any risk of them.
“I think it also goes back to the fact that we have become too reliant on ready meals and you know, making dinners from scratch, isn’t it a far safer way to approach feeding your family and yourself as well?”
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Registered dietitian and presenter with Today Fm Shelly Gray agreed with Dr Finn’s assessment, but said many people are stuck for choice.
“We do know certain cohorts of the population would over rely on ready meals,” she said.
“It may be due to time constraints, things that are out of their hands, or even older individuals.
“Food poverty, unfortunately, is rampant, and some of the ready meals may be a more affordable option for some families as well.”
#FoodAlert Update (3) to recall of various branded prepared meals and side dishes produced by Ballymaguire Foods due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes. https://t.co/Gf5kyJvghE pic.twitter.com/IC0IssUacW
— FoodSafetyAuthority (@FSAIinfo) July 24, 2025
For those who feel they have no choice but to rely on the products, Ms Gray stressed the importance of following the manufacturers preparation instructions.
However, she warned that pregnant women should avoid ready-meals if at all possible, as a listeria infection can increase their chances of miscarriage and other complications.
Main image: Ready meals for sale on fridge shelves, Waitrose supermarket UK. Image: Kumar Sriskandan / Alamy Stock Photo
