Scores from rating model v2, the published model as at September 2026. This article was first published with model v1 scores (73, 73 and 72); the linked product pages always show the current model's scores.
Lily's Kitchen has launched a new Fresh Recipes line: sealed pouches that keep in the cupboard until opened. The launch collection, listed on the brand's Fresh page, is three single recipes:
| Recipe | Rating |
|---|---|
| Fresh Recipes Chicken with Pork | 75 |
| Fresh Recipes Chicken with Salmon | 74 |
| Fresh Recipes Chicken with Quinoa | 74 |
All three land in the "good" band. Fresh Chicken leads every recipe, 56-60% across the line, with the Quinoa recipe topping at 60%, paired with pork, salmon or quinoa. The score is driven mainly by how much meat is declared: a high, clearly-printed percentage of named species, rather than the generic "meat and animal derivatives" that drags many wet foods down.
It's listed as "Fresh Chicken" rather than a named cut, so the model grades it medium meat, not good, which is part of why these sit in the good band rather than climbing higher. A shared vitamins-and-minerals premix and botanical blend runs through the range, so the ratings differ mainly on the protein and the carb - the pork recipe sits one point above the other two.
The collection also lists two variety packs, a Selection and a Taster, and a 6-pouch bulk pack of each recipe. We rate single recipes, not multipacks, so those are not in the table.
Shelf-stable, not chilled
These pouches are retort-sterilised: the food is heat-treated inside its sealed pouch, so it is shelf-stable without freezing or chilling. Under our model, retort-sterilised "fresh" receives no minimal-processing bonus - the bonus that raw, chilled or frozen fresh food does get. That is deliberate and baked into the model baseline: the shelf-stability comes from canning-style heat treatment, so nutritionally these behave like standard wet food. This applies across the whole fresh category, not just this brand.
Verdict: three meat-forward additions, rated 74-75. Good, not excellent - the named, declared meat is the right kind of labelling, and the retort process is why these do not score higher. For anyone wanting wet-type food that lives in the cupboard rather than the fridge, these are worth a look.