AS a nation we've never been known for our culinary expertise but, it would seem, we are spending even less time in the kitchen than ever before.

A recent survey by Safeway reveals one in six people never cook a meal from scratch and two thirds of people cook a meal less than twice a week.

Lack of time is obviously the main reason and more and more people are turning to ready meals as a replacement for proper cooked meals.

Thankfully, nowadays, the choice of ready meals is vast and the quality puts the school dinner ready meals of yesteryear to shame.

No longer are we faced with a choice of frozen faggots and peas with gravy or the supposedly revolutionary TV dinners containing shrivelled meat and dried up vegetables.

We can now buy ready-to-go ''haute cuisine'', authentic curries, take-away-style Chinese and even Japanese sushi from supermarkets.

Marks & Spencer has a great new range of dishes called Steam Cuisine, which steam cook in four to six minutes.

Ground-breaking technology means the tightly sealed plastic packs allow a small amount of pressure to be released during cooking in the microwave and the steam cooks the meals.

Dishes include pasta with summer vegetables in a parmesan and mint sauce, Scottish salmon fillet with minted potatoes and fresh vegetables, and lemon chicken with fresh vegetables, spiced couscous and chilli sauce.

Available now, the range is priced at £2.49 for the vegetarian dishes, £3.29 for the chicken dishes, and £3.49 for the fish dishes.

Asda must be the king of the takeaway when it comes to fresh, ready-to-go meals.

The supermarket has a range of fresh Curry Pot dishes that would give most restaurants a run for their money.

For £5.88 you can get the Curry Pot meal deal containing chicken tikka, korma, two Pilau rice, two plain mini naans and two mini onion bhajis.

A huge choice of other curry dishes, from butter chicken to lamb jalfrezi, are priced at £2.29. Vegetable balti is £1.69 and side orders such as Bombay potato and mushroom dopiaza are £1.69. Plain naan is 24p and a lamb samosa just 14p.

Asda also has an extensive range of take-away style Chinese dishes.

Sweet and sour chicken is £2.29, king prawns in sweet chilli sauce £2.99, and beef with ginger and spring onion is £2.99, to mention just a few.

For £4.99 you can get the Crispy Duck Kit, with half-a-duck, 20 pancakes, hoi sin sauce, shredded cucumber and spring onion pieces.

New dishes include Japanese teriyaki chicken, Thai red curry and chicken wings in Cantonese sauce.

If you are watching your weight Somerfield has launched a range of ready-meals called Good Intentions, especially created to help you reduce fat in your diet.

Reasonably priced, the chilled meals include Chicken Tikka Masala with marinated chicken breast pieces in a creamy masala sauce and pilau rice, Chicken Napolitana Pasta, with pasta twists and chicken in a tomato and olive sauce and Tagliatelle with Roasted Vegetables in a tomato and basil dressing.

Helpfully, the grams of fat per serving are given on the packet.

On a more indulgent note, Safeway has a delicious range of restaurant-style foods for those nights when you want to charm someone without the fuss!

Dishes in the Safeway Best range include Gressingham duck fillets in a rich black cherry sauce, Pork Calvados with fresh apple wedges and a cream and apple brandy sauce, and lamb noisettes with a herb dressing in a rich red currant and rosemary sauce.

The quick and easy meals serve two and start from £4.49.

If it's the Dolce Vita you're after, Tesco has introduced a range of chilled meals and accompaniments called Tesco Italiano.

Found in the chiller cabinet, the Italian meals are "flavourful and warm-hearted" and based on authentic recipes.

For £2.99 you can get chargrilled chicken and pasta in a red pesto and sun dried tomato dressing, with roasted red peppers, or why not try egg penne pasta in a rich, wild mushroom and proscuttio sauce with slices of roasted mushrooms.

Or for £3.99 there's chargrilled chicken fillets in a white wine, basil and sun dried tomato sauce with roasted red peppers or how about Chicken Cacciatore, with a rich tomato, bacon and wine sauce with chunks of mushroom over chargrilled chicken breast fillets.

And to go with your meal, why not try some delicious Italian bread.

Sainsbury's has introduced four new breads to their Taste the Difference range.

These include garlic and rosemary focaccia and ''sunblush tomato mozzarella and basil Stromboli'' a light-textured olive oil bread from the island of Stromboli filled with tomato chutney and soft mozzarella, both for £2.29.

Or for £1.99 there's Italian pesto bread, topped with a vibrant pesto dressing or the garlic and herb 'de Provence Fougasse' bread, covered in garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme butter.

So now there's no excuse not even lack of time for not eating well. Bon appetit!