convenience food

American  

noun

1. any packaged food, dish, or meal that can be prepared quickly and easily, as by thawing or heating.

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convenience food British  

noun

1. food that needs little preparation, especially food that has been pre-prepared and preserved for long-term storage

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Etymology

Origin of convenience food

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

With a busy schedule, she says she found herself choosing convenience food over cooking - and it's had a lasting impact on her health.

From BBC • Sep. 9, 2025

I really don’t like cooking and like convenience food so my dietitian recommended making small changes to my diet and slowly working up to my goals.

From Slate • Oct. 12, 2023

While many of my relatives may still prefer convenience food as a means to an end, I still like enjoying the journey to get there.

From Salon • Sep. 3, 2021

The more you eat out or rely on convenience food, the more the balance of your diet will go the wrong way.

From The Guardian • Dec. 31, 2018

Then came a fat man and woman with their two small boys who were also fat, which probably meant they all ate too much convenience food and needed to improve their diet.

From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd