More whole grains in ready made meals

The number of ready meals containing whole grains has more than doubled over the past year, according to research by the Consumentenbond. Supermarket own brands, particularly Lidl, are making significant progress, while A-brands lag behind.

Supermarkets lead the way

An analysis of 400 ready meals, including pasta, noodles, rice, and couscous, revealed that in 2023 only 21 of these meals contained whole grains. That number has now risen to 52. Supermarkets such as Coop, Jumbo, Lidl, Picnic, and Plus have responded to the Consumentenbond's criticism, incorporating whole grains into an increasing number of meal salads.

A-brands falling behind

Sandra Molenaar, director of the Consumentenbond, emphasized the importance of whole grains for their higher fiber, vitamin, and mineral content. “Unfortunately, A-brands show little ambition,” said Molenaar. “None of the A-brand ready meals we studied contain whole grains.” This is despite consumer panel research from late 2023 showing that only 5% of participants preferred white grains over whole grains.

consumentenbond.nl