BBC One takes a critical look at the environmental impact of a modern food staple this Monday with “Ready Meals: What They Really Mean for You.” Justin Rowlatt, Michelle Ackerley, and Fran Scott join forces to examine the carbon footprint of these convenient dinners, from the farm where ingredients are grown to the moment they become waste.
This investigative program aims to uncover the true cost of convenience, exploring each stage of a ready meal’s life cycle and examining whether greener technologies can make a difference. Justin Rowlatt goes hands-on, attempting to create his own low-carbon ready meal, a task that proves more difficult than it sounds. Meanwhile, Michelle Ackerley looks at the impact of palm oil and the possibility of brewing up plant-based fats as a replacement.
Fran Scott turns her attention to automation, investigating how robots could revolutionize industrial cooking. She also looks into the potential of bio-fertilizers and their role in sustainable farming. From supermarket distribution centers to food waste collections and the farms where ingredients are grown, the team leaves no stone unturned in their quest to understand the true environmental cost of our ready meal habit.
The program examines Tesco’s approach, explores the difficulties of sustainable farming and cattle raising, and features research into enhancing plant-based meat alternatives with unusual ingredients. “Ready Meals: What They Really Mean for You” airs Monday, March 31st at 9:00 PM on BBC One.
