Comparison
Ready Meals vs Takeaway: True Cost, Calories and Convenience
30 June 2026 · 5 min read
If you're ordering takeaway three nights a week, you already know it adds up. What's less obvious is how much you're spending per kilojoule, and how the calorie load compares to a portion-controlled chilled meal.
Weekly cost compared
| Option | Per meal | 5 weeknights |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant Indian | $28–$35 | $140–$175 |
| Takeaway Indian (delivered) | $22–$28 + $8 delivery | $110–$140 + fees |
| Chilled ready meal (subscription) | $13–$17 | $65–$85 |
| Cook from scratch | $6–$10 + 45 min/day | $30–$50 + 3.75 hr |
Calories and macros
Restaurant and takeaway curries are usually larger portions, often with more cream, butter and oil to make the flavour 'pop' on the first bite. A standard takeaway butter chicken with rice and naan runs 950–1100 kcal. The equivalent chilled ready meal — same dish, same protein — is engineered to 520–580 kcal with the macros printed on the pack. Over a week of dinners, that's a 2,500–3,000 kcal swing, with full visibility.
Time, decision fatigue and waste
Takeaway feels fast but the actual cycle — open app, browse menu, decide, order, wait 35–50 minutes — averages just under an hour. Chilled ready meals heat in 4 minutes from fridge to plate. The bigger win for most people is the absence of the daily 'what do we eat?' negotiation.
Where takeaway still wins
Takeaway is the right answer for a Friday-night ritual, a one-off cuisine you can't replicate at home, or a celebratory meal. The problem is using it as your default weeknight dinner — that's where the cost, calories and decision fatigue stack up fastest.