There is good news for all lazybones and couch potatoes: You can now buy meals in China that practically prepare themselves. I beg your pardon? Yes, really. All you need is plain, room-temperature mineral or tap water. 方便自热食品 fāngbiàn zìrè shípǐn, or „self-heating ready meals,“ is the name of this new highlight on supermarket shelves. How does it work? It’s simple: the dishes come with a small „heat pack“ (加热袋 jiārèdài or 发热包 fārèbāo) containing quicklime or calcium oxide (生石灰 shēngshíhuī). This white, crystalline substance releases intense heat over several minutes upon contact with water. And this is what these instant meals use to cook the ingredients. A highlight for lazy foodies is, without a doubt, the self-heating hotpot (自热火锅 zìrè huǒguō).