Definition

Adjective: * Prepared by cooking in advance and requiring no further cooking before consumption: Describes food that has been fully cooked during its manufacturing or preparation process and is intended to be eaten as-is, often after simple reheating or no preparation at all.

Usage

This adjective is used to describe food products or meals. It emphasizes the convenience of the item, indicating that the primary cooking process is complete. * It typically precedes the noun it modifies (e.g., ready-cooked meal, ready-cooked chicken). * It is commonly used in retail, food packaging, and marketing to inform consumers.

Examples

• The supermarket has a wide selection of ready-cooked meals for busy professionals.
• For a quick dinner, I bought a ready-cooked rotisserie chicken.
• These ready-cooked lentils are perfect for adding to salads.

Advanced Usage

• The term can imply a focus on convenience and time-saving, sometimes in contrast to food prepared from raw ingredients.
• It is often associated with pre-packaged foods but can also apply to items sold in deli counters or hot food sections.

Variants and Related Words

• Pre-cooked (adjective): Very similar in meaning, often used interchangeably. May sometimes imply the food requires final heating or assembly.
• Ready-made (adjective): A broader term for any product that is already completed, not just food (e.g., ). For food, it is a close synonym.
• Convenience food (noun phrase): The general category to which ready-cooked items belong.

Synonyms

• Pre-prepared
• Heat-and-eat
• Convenience (when used as an adjective, e.g., )

Antonyms

• Raw
• Uncooked
• From scratch

Adjective

1. cooked in such a way as to be ready for sale