It’s an all-too-familiar scenario when you come home after a long day’s work, and you still have to exert brainpower into planning your dinner. Fortunately, there’s frozen food to save your day.
This type of meal is intended to be a quick and easy way for people to get nourishment. You just pop it in the microwave, wait for a few minutes, and enjoy a satisfying dinner without further tiring yourself.
Frozen food meals are processed to have a longer shelf life. While people prefer fresh offerings, it’s still undeniable that frozen food will continue to be a household staple in today’s bustling world. Not to worry, though, since a lot of emerging frozen food trends are healthier without compromising convenience.
Here are a few frozen food trends you should watch out for:
- Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower has become one of the favorite veggies of health enthusiasts because it’s the perfect alternative to traditional white rice. It’s low-carb but packed with nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. A lot of brands are expected to join the bandwagon, given the vegetable’s ever-rising popularity.
Business owners can turn to companies like Frozen Food Trends – Magid that offer consulting services on where the industry is going regarding this meal type. They also provide research and analytics for factual data on how to improve sales.
These are the best dishes that go well with cauliflower rice:
- Chinese-Style Ribs – The mild taste of cauliflower rice is the perfect balance to this flavorful dish with hoisin sauce, marmalade, sherry, and pie spice.
- Garlic Chicken and Broccoli – This healthy meal can be made in advance and kept in the freezer along with your cauliflower rice.
- Creamy Paprika Pork – This paprika-infused dish can add a spicy punch to your frozen meal.
- Honey Buffalo Meatballs – If you prefer something sweet and salty, you’ll enjoy these meatballs covered in honey buffalo sauce.
- Thai Coconut Beef – For a creamy base, this Thai coconut beef dish can be left in the slow cooker and ready for you by the time you get home.
- Veggie Patties
If you’re vegan, vegetarian, or an advocate of the meatless Mondays campaign, you’ll be glad to know that you’ll increasingly see more veggie patty choices in the frozen food aisle. Most meatless burger patties are made from beans, tofu, nuts, grains, and mushrooms, which are all healthy alternatives to pork, beef, or chicken.
- Microwavable Quinoa
Quinoa is another superfood that’s become a favorite of people on a low-carb diet. It’s a grain crop that was famous in South America, with the Incas referring to it as the “mother of all grains.” It comes in three types: white, red, and black, and has very high fiber content. Plus, it’s also perfect for people with gluten intolerance and those looking for a healthy protein and amino acid source.
There are microwavable quinoa options already on the market today. You can look forward to more choices soon.
Quinoa contains a substantial amount of these vitamins and minerals:
- Manganese – This mineral boosts your metabolism, growth, and development.
- Phosphorous – You need phosphorous to have healthy bones and maintain the health of your body tissues.
- Copper – It’s the main mineral to uphold your heart health.
- Folate – Folate intake is particularly essential for pregnant women. It facilitates cell function and tissue growth.
- Iron – Iron is primarily significant for transporting oxygen in red blood cells.
- Magnesium – It can help you fight against type 2 diabetes by reducing insulin resistance.
- Zinc – Zinc is crucial for wound healing as well as for keeping your sense of taste and smell functioning well.
- Frozen Berries
Frozen berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, will continue to be a popular frozen food item because they’re inexpensive and remain unaffected by the season. Moreover, these fruits retain their nutritional benefits even when stored in freezing temperatures. They’re excellent additions to your smoothies for times when breakfast seems impossible.
- Frozen Breakfast
While frozen food is commonly heated for dinner purposes, there’s also breakfast options that you can buy when you need to rush out the door in the mornings quickly. There are different variations of waffles available in the market today, such as blueberry and grain. You can also buy breakfast burritos and pizzas.
Conclusion
Frozen food meals won’t be going away any time soon because of the convenience they offer. Food companies should take advantage of the many opportunities that this industry provides by looking for healthier alternatives to traditional options and move toward making fresh vegetables and fruits more accessible to everyone.
