Consumers Disregard Frozen Meals Portion Sizes

CHICAGOFrozen meals are consumed in about 2.5 million U.S. households every day; however, there is a disconnect between the stated serving size on a frozen meal package and what an individual is consuming, according to new market research from the NPD Group.

The Frozen Meals Stay Hot! Where are Your Opportunities?" report found one in three family/party-sized frozen meals labeled to have four plus servings are eaten by only one to two individuals. More than 25% of frozen meal users eating from a package labeled for two to three servings consumes the frozen meal on their own.

Results of the survey of 2,500 adults ages 18 and older also found various generational and demographic groups perceive frozen meals differently. This provides manufacturers and retailers to respond to the variant needs with the right products, flavors and marketing messages.

For example, males, younger users and even non-users are dissatisfied with the current portion sizes in frozen meals and want larger portions. Single-serve frozen meals, which account for two out of every three frozen meals eaten today, are popular as a carried lunch with young, working females and seniors who consume single-serve frozen meals in their homes.