From the kitchen ·
Ready-made meals vs frozen meals vs meal kits: what’s the difference?
The short answer: a ready-made meal (also called a premade or pre-made meal) is fully cooked and only needs heating. A frozen meal is the same idea but stored frozen, so it keeps far longer and needs thawing or longer heating. A meal kit is a box of raw ingredients and a recipe, so you still do the cooking. If you want dinner on the table in minutes without cooking, ready-made or frozen meals are the ones to look at.
People search for this a dozen different ways: premade meals, ready made meals, home cooked meals delivered, meal prep, family meal delivery. They usually mean one of three quite different things, and the differences matter when you’re trying to feed a household through a busy week.
The three options side by side
| Ready-made (chilled) | Frozen meals | Meal kits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What arrives | Cooked meals, chilled | Cooked meals, frozen | Raw ingredients + recipe cards |
| Your effort | Heat and eat | Thaw and heat, or heat from frozen | Prep and cook (often 20–45 min) |
| How long it keeps | Days, in the fridge | Much longer, in the freezer | Days, until you cook it |
| Best for | Eating well this week with no cooking | Stocking up for later | People who enjoy cooking but hate planning |
Ready-made meals
Cooked, cooled and kept chilled, ready-made meals are as close as you’ll get to someone cooking dinner for you. Because they’re not frozen, the texture is closer to a fresh home-cooked plate, but they have a shorter life in the fridge. Our guide to storing and reheating ready-made meals covers how long they keep and how to heat them safely.
Frozen meals
Frozen meals trade a little texture for a lot of shelf life. They’re handy as a freezer back-up, though they need planning (thawing in the fridge overnight) or a longer reheat. SA Health advises thawing in the fridge or microwave, not on the bench (SA Health). You can also freeze chilled ready-made meals yourself if you won’t get to them in time.
Meal kits
Meal kits solve the ‘what’s for dinner’ problem but not the cooking. They suit people who like being in the kitchen and want the shopping and planning taken off their plate. On a night when nobody has the energy to chop an onion, they don’t help much.
How Auggies ready-made meals work
Auggies Kitchen is a family kitchen in the Barossa Valley. Our meals are ready-made in the true sense: cooked fresh each week, chilled and delivered ready to heat. Here is how ordering works, straight from our order page:
- Pick a bundle size. The more meals you add, the better the per-meal price.
- Fill it with meals. Mix and match from this week’s menu, double up on a favourite, or tick chef’s choice and let the kitchen pick a mix. The menu changes weekly.
- Add sweet treats if you like. Loaded cookies, brownie slabs and treat boxes can ride along with your meals.
- Tell us where and when. Add allergies, dietary needs or a preferred day in the notes.
- Pay online or on delivery. Card payments are handled securely by Square, or choose pay on delivery.
| Bundle | Price | Works out per meal |
|---|---|---|
| 4 meals | $55 | about $13.75 |
| 6 meals | $80 | about $13.33 |
| 8 meals | $105 | about $13.13 |
| 12 meals | $130 | about $10.83 |
| 16 meals | $155 | about $9.69 |
Delivery is $5 within the Barossa Valley and $15 outside the Barossa (Gawler / Northern Suburbs). We deliver on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays, and ask that orders are in by 3 pm the day before. Meals can book out, so the order page always shows whether this week’s cooking is open. Ordering for tonight or tomorrow? Call 0406 288 148 first.
We deliver right across the Valley, including Tanunda, Nuriootpa and Angaston, plus outside the Barossa (Gawler / Northern Suburbs).
Who ready-made meals suit best
- Busy households where weeknights disappear into sport, homework and late finishes.
- Long-hours workers, from shift workers to anyone flat out during vintage, who still want a proper home-cooked dinner.
- People living on their own who are tired of cooking for one, or of eating the same pot of something four nights running.
- New parents and anyone recovering or caring for someone else. Our guide to meals for new parents covers how to gift a bundle.
- Family members ordering for someone else, such as an older parent who would enjoy a few easy dinners in the fridge.
What to look for in any meal delivery service
- Is it cooked or raw? Make sure you’re buying ready-made meals if you don’t want to cook.
- Chilled or frozen? Chilled means better texture but a shorter fridge life; frozen means more flexibility.
- Does the menu change? A rotating menu stops meal fatigue.
- Can it handle your dietary needs? Check how you tell the kitchen about allergies. Ours go in the order notes, and vegan and vegetarian dishes are part of our rotation.
- Who’s cooking? A local, family-run kitchen means you can pick up the phone and talk to the people making your food.
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between ready-made meals and premade meals?
Nothing, really. Ready-made, premade and pre-made meals all describe fully cooked meals you only need to heat. Some are chilled and some are frozen. Auggies meals are cooked fresh each week, chilled and delivered ready to heat.
Are Auggies meals frozen?
No. They’re cooked fresh, chilled and delivered ready to heat. You can freeze them yourself if you won’t eat them within their fridge life; freeze them the day they arrive for the best result.
How much do Auggies meal bundles cost?
Bundles are 4 meals for $55, 6 for $80, 8 for $105, 12 for $130 and 16 for $155, plus delivery of $5 in the Barossa Valley or $15 outside it. Current prices are always on the order page.
Can I choose my own meals?
Yes. Mix and match from this week’s menu, double up on favourites, or choose chef’s choice and let the kitchen pick for you. The menu changes weekly.