Australian dietitians say microwavable meals can be a balanced option, but there are fears their popularity means the younger generation may be losing the ability to put together a meal from scratch.

Accredited dietitian Lisa Renn says microwave meals are “actually healthier than a lot of takeaway”.

“As a dietitian I do say to people ‘Have you thought about grabbing a microwave meal?’ for the occasional thing,” she told Stephen Quartermain and Elise Elliott, filling in for Ross and Russel.

“A lot of them tend to be quite small which is helpful for people if they’re trying to manage weight or lose weight.”

But Ms Renn cautioned against eating microwave meals every day.

“Everyday use is probably not as great because what they do tend to be a bit low on is vegetables,” she said.

The dietitian shared a tip for people who find microwavable meal portion sizes too small, or who are turning to them regularly — add a pouch of microwavable vegetables!

Press PLAY below to hear the pros and cons of microwavable meals