Although inflation is moderating, U.S. consumers are still managing higher food costs. They’re shopping at value retailers, spending less on non-food purchases, switching to store brands, and canceling committed expenses (like subscriptions), according to Circana, formerly IRI, and The NPD Group.

These data providers report that during the 12 months ending March 2023, foodservice costs were 4.3 times more than the cost of at-home eating occasion. The average cost of an at-home meal purchased from retail was $1.78, and $7.48 away from home. Not surprisingly, 86% percent of annual eating occasions are sourced from grocers and other retail outlets. This supports data that reflects that at-home spending remains a more significant portion, 60%, of food and beverage sales, reports Circana.

More In Store

These facts aren’t lost on meal and entrée processors as the in-store category continues to attract newcomers. Emmy- and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, Chef Andrew Zimmern, partnered with Golden West Food Group, Vernon, Calif., to develop and launch four 10oz-10.5oz frozen meals and entrees under the new brand, By Andrew Zimmern. Debuting at Walmart were Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese, Swedish Meatballs, Turkey Dinner, and Meatloaf. Another new face with comfort food was West Coast dairy giant Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA), Tillamook, Ore. While TCCA already competes in ice cream, it branched into both frozen entrees and frozen pizza. Three new Tillamook Mac & Cheese offerings (20oz-22oz) include Classic Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar & Uncured Bacon, and Cheddar & Hatch Chile.

Already well established in the market is Chicago-based Conagra Brands Inc. This January saw the CPG giant issue its own “Future of Frozen Food 2024” report for a US frozen food market valued at $78 billion, according to NielsenIQ Discover data. Officials say they identified five key trends from Conagra Brands' own demand science expertise, robust sales data from NielsenIQ, in-home consumption behaviors from Circana's National Eating Trends, and in-depth social media trend predictors from Black Swan Data. Those trends include globally inspired flavors, evolving use of kitchen appliances, and a surge in breakfast foods, more “bites” and mini portions, and more fun and convenient kids meals.

Last summer, Conagra unveiled more than 50 new products across its frozen, grocery and snack divisions. At least one-third of those involved new frozen meals and entrees under the Banquet, Birds Eye Voila!, Gardein, Healthy Choice, La Choy, Marie Callender's and P.F. Chang's Home Menu brands. New offerings included three Banquet MEGA Crustless Pizzas, three new Birds Eye Voila! Skillet and Oven Bake meals, four new Healthy Choice Power Bowls (two featuring shrimp and two showcasing pasta), two new Healthy Choice Café Steamers and Simply Steamers, and two new Marie Callender’s Duos Meals: Beef & Broccoli and Sesame Chicken; and Meatball Marinara and Fettuccini with Chicken & Broccoli.

Keeping its name brand in front of consumers was TGI Fridays. It also partnered with Golden West Food Group to extend its frozen at-home line with four new single-serve meals: Whiskey-Glazed Chicken and Mashed Potatoes, Spicy Cajun Style Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, Spinach and Artichoke Sauce Chicken and Rice, and a Whiskey-Glazed Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese.

At-Home Adventure

Want to stay home but still enjoy an authentic ethnic or regional flavor? Processors offer consumers several options throughout the store.

Companies large and small created two interesting new Hispanic shelf-stable kits. Last fall saw SOMOS Foods, Austin, Tex., introduce Burrito Bowl Kits, which provide two servings of a protein-packed, plant-based Mexican meal in under five minutes. Offerings carry a suggested retail price of $7.99 and include Mexican Pecadillo, Cauliflower Tinga, and a Peacadillo in Salsa Verde. The latter delivers 26g of plant-based protein with plant-based taco filling, salsa verde, Mexican black beans, and cilantro lime white rice.

Also taking the at-home kit approach were two big names: Taco Bell Corp. and The Kraft-Heinz Company. This January, they extended the Taco Bell at Home line with Crunchwrap Supreme and Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla “Cravings Kits.” Each serves four and contains proprietary Taco Bell restaurant ingredients, seasonings and sauces. Consumers simply add their own proteins. The kits debuted at Walmart stores nationwide and online.

Delivering more ready-made meals were Saffron Road Foods and Conagra Brands. Last June, Saffron Road extended its namesake line with four new entrees: Moroccan-Inspired Chicken & Potatoes, Coconut Cauliflower Curry, Chickpea Masala and Chicken Enchiladas Al Chipotle. Official said the dishes reflect flavors of Morocco (a new region for the brand) as well as India and Mexico respectively. Each microwaveable meal (MSRP $5.99) is ready in six minutes or less. Known for ingredients and sauces, Conagra’s La Choy brand debuted in the freezercase with three family-style entrees that pair tempura-battered white meat chicken with one of three sauces. Varieties are Orange Chicken, General Tso's Chicken and Sweet and Sour Chicken, each available in 18oz meals.

Consumers also could try regional, Louisiana-style cooking with Big Easy Foods’ Simple Solutions, a line of seven 8oz Cajun cuisine entrees. Varieties range from Shrimp Jambalaya and Shrimp and Black Beans with Lime Juice to Shrimp Alfredo with Broccoli.

Home is Where the Health Is

Several processors offered new nutritional diet products for health-minded shoppers.

Last April found Nestlé introducing four Lean Cuisine Balance Bowl entrees that meet American Diabetes Association (ADA) nutrition guidelines. As part of the ADA Better Choices for Life program, each entrée features a full serving of vegetables, 0g of sugar, and fewer than 400 calories. Varieties are available at $4.49 each and include Tex-Mex Rice & Black Beans, Lemon Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry, Roasted Eggplant Parmesan Pasta and Creamy Pasta Primavera. Lean Cuisine also offers four meals meeting American Heart Association (AHA) criteria for heart-healthy foods. Lean Cuisine Heart-Check Certified Meals include Herb Roasted Chicken, Garlic Sesame Noodles with Beef, Apple Cranberry Chicken, and a Butternut Squash Ravioli.

In a separate move, Nestlé extended its Life Cuisine Carb Wise line with Keto-Friendly Veggie Pizza. The single-serve item features a thin crust with mozzarella, tomatoes, onions, peppers and basil.

Organic and natural foods leader Amy’s Kitchen, Petaluma, Calif., introduced six new Family Size entrees in conjunction with a new packaging design. The products serve three to four people and feature organic and non-GMO ingredients. Last summer also found allergen-friendly frozen entrees specialist Safe Plate, Minneapolis, rebranding as Liam’s. Each of its 9.6oz-11.oz entrées are free from peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, gluten, seafood, shellfish and sesame. Varieties include Beef & Pea Pods, Tangy Pulled Pork, Cheezy Rotini, and Chicken Alfredo Rotini.

Plant the Flag

Consumers interested in plant-based and veggie-forward foods also have more options. For its part, Nestlé USA chose last year to revamp its Sweet Earth Foods line. Sweet Earth surveys found that 34% of U.S. adults who stopped eating plant-based two years ago did so due to bad taste and texture—but 58% said better taste would woo them back. That led the brand to reformulate as many as 15 products—including entrée bowls and burritos.

“We worked with chefs to elevate a variety of our Sweet Earth recipes to better reflect the needs of today’s plant-based consumer, carefully crafting them to highlight mouthwatering sauces, savory spices and a variety of wholesome ingredients,” said Jennifer Barnes, vice president of marketing for Lean Cuisine, Sweet Earth and Life Cuisine. “Our hope is to inspire people to re-invent what a plant-based lifestyle means to them, offering a greater emphasis on bold flavors, providing a tasty culinary experience, re-igniting excitement with the variety of Sweet Earth options available to them and supporting consumers in their own plant-based comeback.”

Conagra Brands refreshed its long-standing Gardein line with four single-serve bowls: Ultimate Plant-Based Sweet & Sour Chick'n; Ultimate Plant-Based Be'f Burrito; Ultimate Plant-Based Be'f and Broccoli; and the Ultimate Plant-Based Meatball Marinara.

Also joining the entrée category was Los Angeles’ Daring Foods, which made its earlier debut with plant-based chicken. In November, it launched five frozen bowl entrees, including a co-branded item with Asian sauce specialist Fly by Jing. Varieties include Daring x Fly by Jing Fried Rice, Spicy Fajita, Teriyaki, Harvest, and a Penne Primavera.

Also taking a veggie-forward category approach was fresh-cut salads processor Bonduelle Americas, Irwindale, Calif. Last fall brought its Ready Pac Bistro Meal Kits in three varieties: Teriyaki & Rice, Chipotle & Quinoa, and Basil Pesto & Pasta. Each kit features fresh vegetables and rice, quinoa or pasta, along with a sauce and a topping to add the final touch. Consumers can quickly heat and eat or customize by adding a protein.

Dine—and Dash

Consumers looking for a quick meal don’t have to sacrifice on fun or flavor. Hand-held entrée processors offer a wide range of products—from ethnic to some fun basic comfort foods.

Last November saw Boston-based Iron Chef Ming Tsai’s extend his MingsBings crunchy wraps line with four new meat- and chicken-based varieties that still carry a veggie-forward positioning. New flavors included Cheeseburger, Ham & Cheese, Buffalo Chicken, and Supreme Pizza. Taking a more authentic ethnic approach was Deep Foods Inc., Union, N.J. This February, it launched its first hand-held line of Kati Street Wraps under the Deep Indian Kitchen brand. The wraps feature hand-made paratha (Indian bread) that crisps in the microwave in an included crisping sleeve. Varieties include Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken, Spinach Paneer, Chicken Curry and Potato & Pea Samosa.

Nestlé USA also turned up the heat on full flavor. Last August it partnered with First We Feast's spiciest YouTube interview show, Hot Ones, and created four new Hot Pockets with heat profiles: a Spicy Garlic Chicken & Bacon with Hot Ones The Classic Garlic Fresno; a Smoky Green Chile Cheesesteak featuring Hot Ones Los Calientes Verde; a Hot Habanero Pepperoni and Sausage featuring Hot Ones Los Calientes Rojo; and a Fiery Hot Pepperoni featuring Hot Ones The Last Dab: Apollo.

Other new offerings targeted comfort classics. Tyson Foods, Springdale, Ark., introduced Jimmy Dean Toaster Pop-Ups in two varieties: Sausage, Egg & Cheese; and Ham, Egg & Cheese. Speaking of cheese, The Kraft Heinz Company unveiled a new microwave cooking technology, 360CRISP, in conjunction with its new Lunchables Grilled Cheesies offering. Officials say the unique packaging delivers “golden-brown pan-like crisp outside and gooey, creamy inside – no pans or stovetop required—in just 60 seconds.” Two varieties—Original and Pepperoni Pizza—each include Kraft Singles cheese. PF