It's a busy time of the year and cooking healthy meals can easily fall by the wayside when juggling parties, Christmas preparations and day to day life
04:30, 20 Dec 2025Updated 08:20, 30 Dec 2025
Every Christmas it's the same. No matter how much I plan to have everything done by December 1, so I can actually enjoy the festive season, you can guarantee I'll still be chasing around like a headless chicken on December 24, picking up last-minute gifts and possibly even the turkey.
One of the first things to fall by the wayside tends to be the evening meals as I race from work to the shops or to one of the many Christmas events organised throughout the month. This means that our otherwise healthy eating habits slide into grabbing a sandwich seconds before I slide into bed.
So when I was offered the chance to try Slimming World's latest recipe food box it seemed an ideal opportunity to see if this year could be different to the past 20. And I wondered if I could even lose weight in the run up to the inevitable three-day food feast which starts on Christmas Eve.
Slimming World Kitchen launched last year offering a selection of 15 meals every week with customers picking up to five meals a week for two or four people. They currently work out generally at between £5 and £7 per portion with most sitting at £5.50 or £6.
While they change and update their offering every week they have introduced a whole selection of festive meals for over the month of December. And under the title "Festive Delights" they scream Christmas with everything from Turkey saag aloo and God zest ye merry venison lasagne to Festive chicken feast and Beetroot bauble-gnon.
The menu switched over the four weeks and we picked from the first set of meals which came out at the beginning of the month. We selected four meals for two from the first two week offering:
- Have yourself a very tasty chicken traybake
- Spruced-up allspice steak with horseradish mash
- Merry & bright salmon and beetroot gratin
- Veg & lentil sleighbake with crispy sprouts
The box arrived within days on the date we selected and, as I'd forgotten to get anything out of the freezer in my morning rush, we decided to try the chicken traybake. Even better as I was out that night it was over to hubby to try out his cooking skills.
I arrived home to a delicious aroma filling the kitchen and an impressive looking meal - although it was half eaten as the other three in the house couldn't wait. He said it was easy to make and we all found it absolutely delicious - creamy and luxurious and nothing like a "diet" meal.
It included several ingredients I wouldn't normally use including allspice and sage but after trying this I will definitely be seeking out more recipes using them. And while we had the two-person box there was enough for all four of us, three adults and a 6ft 3ins 15-year-old who all have healthy appetites.
As it was just my daughter and I having food the next night we decided to try the veg and lentil sleighbake. It might have been a vegetarian option, but we definitely didn't miss the meat, as it was easily a fulfilling and hearty meal on its own.
Again it was simple to follow and we were delighted that the humble sprout could taste so good. We are both Brussels fans and have had them in several recipes but this was a new one on us.
It involved spritzing them with oil and then baking them in the oven leaving them crispy and tasty. And who would have thought crisping up the outer leaves would change the taste that much - another trick added to our recipe repertoire.
Next was the turn of the merry and bright salmon and beetroot gratin. The salmon came in big fillets which looked stunning in the packet and as with all Slimming World meals it included a hefty portion of vegetables ensuring you are making the most of the vitamins and calories.
This time is was ready in 45 minutes and again absolutely delicious. It used Greek-style yoghurt but, as with all the ingredients in the Slimming World Kitchen boxes, this came handily packaged in a perfect portion as did the 10g of fresh dill.
Finally it was the turn of spruced-up allspice steak with horseradish mash. And this was another revelation.
We can be quite adventurous with our cooking - I have a stock of recipe books going into the hundreds and we aren't afraid of chucking things in on the off-chance they work well - but I'd never tried horseradish mash before.
I will sometimes have horseradish sauce on beef but this can be a bit hot for me as I'm not a fan of a lot of spice in dishes. However this was amazing with just the right amount of spice and flavour to turn an everyday staple into a luxury side. Another winner.
What we liked
We loved the fact that you get a recipe book for all the meals, not just the ones you order. This means if you enjoy them you can make it yourself rather than rebuying the same meals.
The box the food came in was sturdy and had compartments separating the ingredients with vegetables and other ingredients on one side and those that needed refrigerating packed in ice bags on the other. Each meal was bagged up separately but unfortunately three of our bags had split meaning we had to fish about in the bottom of the box for garlic and some other smaller bits.
However the recipes were clear on ingredients which meant we could easily work out what went where. We also liked the fact the allergens were clearly marked out while the step by step guide to making it was clear and straightforward.
We also loved the lack of waste. I've got far too many herbs and spices sitting on shelves with dates long past because we use them so infrequently. This gave us the chance to try new flavours without adding to the collection.
Every meal was a hit, simple to make and big portions of fresh ingredients. We all thought it was good value for money and perfect for busy people - and not just for those trying to lose weight.
Where did it miss the mark
To be honest there was nothing about this we didn't like. Every meal was easy and tasty and didn't take hours to prepare.
The split bags were a little annoying but I have had Slimming World Kitchen boxes previously and this wasn't the case so I'll put it down to a one-off that was easily sorted.
The verdict
But as always the big question is - did it help? The answer is 100% yes.
December normally sees me gaining weight through a mixture of social events and lack of time for food planning but this saved me so much effort I was able to lose 3.5lbs over the week we ate it. So it was a win, win - I saved money on the takeaways and other grab and go foods and lost weight at the same time.
While it is geared to the Slimming World plan it is equally ideal for anyone trying to get a bit healthier or shed a few pounds. It also comes with a complete breakdown of calories and other macros in the meals for people wanting to use it on other eating plans.
Definitely one I will turn to at busy times in future. This one is not just for Christmas but all year round.