Heat-and-Eat Meals Go Gourmet

By Donna Berry, Contributing Editor

From frozen skillet meals to shelf-stable microwaveable entrées, innovative formulators continue to wow consumers with chef-inspired convenient solutions to the age-old question: Whats for dinner?

Gourmet convenience meals come at a time when many consumers have traded down from restaurant meals in favor of retail prepared foods that require simple heating prior to eating. And a major influence on the longevity of this dining shift is the premium positioning of the many recent retail rollouts.

Visual appeal

In August, Healthy Choice, a brand of ConAgra Foods, Inc., Omaha, NE, introduced a line of entrées that the company says will raise the bar for microwavable frozen meals. The key to the new entrées is steam, which unlocks the fresh taste and vibrant flavors of the large-cut, premium-quality ingredients, such as whole cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas and sweet potatoes.

You can see the difference as soon as you pick up the tray," says Jonathan Gray, manager of research and development, ConAgra, alluding to the clear plastic meal tray and unique steaming film" that allows consumers to see the ingredients. The line features Sesame Glazed Chicken, Garlic Herb Shrimp, Lemon Herb Chicken, Honey Balsamic Chicken, Chicken Romano Fresca, Rosemary Chicken & Sweet Potatoes, Portabella Parmesan Risotto and Roasted Chicken Verde. Such contemporary recipes add value, turning an ordinary microwaveable chicken dinner into poulet chef-duvre.

Less can be more

Based on new product launches, the industry is still responding to the value proposition as consumers continue to pinch pennies. So, most of what we are seeing is more for less," says Skip Julius, director of innovation, Pierre Foods, Cincinnati.

Product designers can find subtle ways to imply more" without having to charge more. For example, artisan cheeses and breads are being used to suggest a gourmet eating experience to the consumer," says Julius. This is particularly true in the frozen panini sandwich category."

More can also come from providing smaller, and often healthier, portions of premium, simple ingredients. One approach to developing high-end, heat-and-eat meals is simplicity. This involves ingredient lines with readily recognizable ingredients that a consumer could buy and have at home," says Scott Martling, group leader, International Food Network (IFN), Ithaca, NY. Not only is there growing consumer demand for these types of clean products, but retailers such as Whole Foods are also establishing lists of synthetic-sounding ingredients they dont want to have incorporated into the foods on their shelves. Manufacturers are attempting to respond with shorter, more-recognizable ingredient labels."

Andy Hart, senior food scientist, IFN, adds: As with using recognizable ingredients, using whole cuts of meat from recognizable sources can also promote a premium status. A whole chicken breast or pork chop certainly has more appeal than diced meat pieces."

Frozen gourmet heat-and-eat meals benefit from advancements in individually quick-frozen (IQF) technologies. IQF has opened the door to a wide variety of high-quality vegetable and meat components," says Juan Pellecer, project leader, IFN. IQF ingredients are frozen quickly to keep the ice crystals small to not disrupt the cell membranes. In short, this creates a much-fresher texture and flavor in the reheated product. When added to a frozen meal, these components do not need to be kept separate from the rest of the product."

If the product is not frozen, separate sauce or seasoning packets are often used. According to Pellecer: This approach has two advantages, with the first being protection of all components involved. Controlling the migration of moisture and odors will extend the shelf life of the products. The often underappreciated benefit to this approach involves the consumers ability to customize their own product. Foods are formulated for mass distribution, but each consumer has their own individual preferences. Empowering the consumer to add as much or as little of a topping can provide a competitive advantage to a heat-and-eat meal."

James Murray, corporate chef, Johnsonville Sausage LLC, Sheboygan, WI, says the evolution of the heat-and-serve meal segment continues on an upward innovation path. The quality of ingredients, packaging, ethnic and regional inspiration provide the foundation of this innovation. A growing base of educated consumers is looking for unique meal solutions that can be delivered with minimal preparation and culinary expertise." This time-crunched consumer is driven to purchase creative, gourmet meal solutions that make them the star of their kitchen.

Successful solutions that are being developed need to leverage the romance of the dish," continues Murray. Often, this can be attained through exciting packaging graphics and also descriptive text. The use of terms like slow-roasted or braised with Cabernet wine can enlighten the taste buds of the potential consumer. A strong emphasis seems to be placed upon ethnic dishes that deliver both exciting flavor and a broad range of potential dishes."

Product formats can range from very simple to quite complex, notes Murray. If we look at sausage as an example, it can be delivered to the consumer in a range of ready-to-heat/ready-to-eat formats that include oven-roasted, smoked, grilled, fully cooked, sliced, crumbled or enrobed in dough," he says. A wide range of meat blocks, inclusions and flavor systems can add to the gourmet appeal of the sausages. Depending on the format, these sausages can find their way into meal kits that offer the consumer the opportunity to add fresh vegetable or starch elements. They also can provide an exciting flavor foundation as an accenting ingredient of a fully prepared meal solution."

Crossing borders

Ethnic flavors continue to inspire recipes, with formulators willing to explore flavors from far-away regions.

Im starting to hear rumors of manufacturers revisiting the breakfast category," Julius says, wondering if the Asian egg-based okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancake) or Thai omelet (often crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, with various ingredient accents and served with spicy sriracha) are ready for prime time...

Anything Mediterranean continues to indicate higher-end quality, especially products with Tuscan in the name," says Julius. Sauces and bold ethnic condiments continue to be a growth driver in both retail and foodservice."

Sometimes ethnic flavor fusions provide formulation inspiration. Julius recently savored a Black Angus burger with caramelized onions, goat cheese and foie gras. It was decadent-to-die-for good," he says. Such flavor combinations presage the appearance of like items in ready meals, whether refrigerated or frozen."

Al Fresco All Natural, Chelsea, MA, manufactures fully cooked gourmet chicken sausages and recently added Chipotle Chorizo with Mango to its lineup. Made from skinless chicken meat blended with chipotle peppers and mango in a smoky adobo sauce, it was created using an authentic recipe from the Tierra Caliente region of Mexico, renowned for chorizo. The smoky-hot adobo is complemented by the hint of refreshing mango.

We know that not only is the Hispanic community the largest and fastest-growing ethnic segment of the U.S. population," says Sarah Crowley, senior brand manager, Al Fresco All Natural, noting that the companys customers are seeking out international flavors and cuisine to spice up the meals they prepare at home."

Nick Henson, group leader, IFN, Reading, England, says: Authenticity is a concept that is quite important in Europe. Over here, the idea of provenance, or knowing the origin of your food, is of growing importance, so much so that packages of fresh meat include a picture of the farmer who raised the livestock. In some ways, Americans are applying this concept to prepared meals by identifying the regional origin of attributes such as Texas barbecue, Wisconsin Cheddar and Pacific salmon, but you could go further and add more gourmet appeal."

The spice (and flavor) rack

Do not be confused: Provenance does not mean local, and in gourmet heat-and-eat entrées, exotic rules. Manufacturers of high-end products are adding exotic flavors, combinations that consumers normally could not achieve at home," says Greg May, project leader, IFN. This complexity of flavors adds to the premium image by elevating the consumers ability to consistently deliver restaurant quality to their friends and family."

Lori Miller, director, market development and sales, Eatem Foods Co., Vineland, NJ, says: There is a lot of interest in exotic ethnic seasonings and ingredientsespecially tropical fruits and chiles. Such flavors have not historically been used in prepared foods sold at retail.

High-end flavors, such as prime rib, rib-eye and grilled steak concentrates, can also be used to enhance gourmet protein meals," continues Miller. Our bases and concentrates rely on fresh ingredients and must be kept refrigerated to preserve flavor quality. A recent introduction, poulet classique concentrate, is patterned after the French browned poultry-vegetable classic."

Many of todays chefs are less likely to serve meats that have been fried quickly in a pan. More often, they braise meat, followed by a slow cook in a closed pan, which allows for more-intense flavors to develop. Thus, suppliers have developed ingredients that offer flavor intensity to the formulation without the need to include the cooking effort. Such flavors can mimic contemporary cooking processes, allowing product developers to create higher-quality food products.

Indeed, meat flavors play an important role in gourmet heat-and-eat products. The real meat might provide a basic flavor, but not the process note that develops from long simmering.

Another simple approach to using flavors is to add spices and herbs, which visually suggest gourmet. Usage levels can be minor enough that the increased cost over a flavor system is minimal on the unit price," says Martling. The visual impact of spices can add to the gourmet appeal. Where possible, use descriptive ingredients such as aged Cheddar cheese instead of a cheese blend, olive oil instead of vegetable oil, and whole vegetables."

Going meatless

Meat flavors can give an intense meaty note to products made with meat substitutes, as plant-based proteins are becoming increasingly popular, even in gourmet heat-and-eat entrées. There is a definite trend toward more upscale vegetarian itemsmore than just beans and vegetables. Formulators are using exotic rice and other grains, fruits, seeds, and more," says Miller. Specifically, there is a lot of interest with incorporating ancient grains, such as amaranth, spelt and quinoa, into prepared meals. People are actually preparing them at home after having tried them in high-end restaurants, and they are now expecting to find them in heat-and-eat meals."

It can be challenging to formulate proteins based on soy, wheat or veggies with a gourmet flair. To the casual observer, creating vegetarian, meatless meat flavors may seem like a relatively generic job for a flavor developer, but it actually holds its own special challenges," says Gladys Slovis, applications lab manager, Comax Flavors, Melville, NY. For instance, its very important that such flavors be strong enough to stand up to highly absorbent vegetable proteins."

Slovis notes that, reaction technology can provide ingredients that replace and enhance the flavors of meats while still keeping the final product in line with vegetarian consumption. Applications where these flavors tend to be most advantageous are broths, sauces and marinades, which can be used in vegetarian heat-and-eat meals, but they come in handy for a whole range of other meatless, products as well." The companys vegetarian meat flavors include roasted chicken, roast beef, bacon, pork, turkey and roasted ham, either natural or artificial, and in oil-soluble, water-soluble, liquid and powdered versions.

Whats in the future?

Preparation versatility may be an area of emphasis in the future, according to Murray. He asks: Can the product be prepared by the consumer in multiple ways? Is the packaging such that it can be microwaved or baked? Are the ingredients able to be prepared in a single cooking vessel, thus reducing the cleanup for the consumer?"

Future, innovative packaging solutions provide unique consumer options for the consumer, as well. The use of high-quality aseptic packaging has reached mass acceptance and can be formulated into a wide range of eye-catching and utilitarian packaging options," says Murray. Since the packaging formats range across the spectrum of fresh, refrigerated, frozen and shelf-stable, this increases the range of contact points for the consumer across the store. A stores ability to effectively merchandise a broad range of offerings makes them a serious contender for that dining dollar."

Julius emphasizes that high end may also include enhanced nutritional profile. We recently introduced a healthier, but full-flavored, line of products called Smart Picks." He notes that the products were developed to answer the consumer need for healthier options, as gourmet can also be healthy. They are not mutually exclusive propositions." The line, which includes teriyaki chicken nuggets and other proteins, as well as complete sandwiches, boasts a sodium reduction of 20% to 35% compared to the regular comparable items the company offers.

Ideas and options abound in this growing categoryand the demands on everyones time will not lessen in the future. Notes Murray, There is an endless number of recipes and dishes available for manufacturers to develop."

Donna Berry, president of Chicago-based Dairy & Food Communications, Inc., a network of professionals in business-to-business technical and trade communications, has been writing about product development and marketing for 13 years. Prior to that, she worked for Kraft Foods in the natural-cheese division. She has a B.S. in food science from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. She can be reached at [email protected].

You Can Go Back Home Again

According to a July 2010 report, Fresh Convenience Foods in the U.S.," from Packaged Facts, Rockville, MD, since the recession began, 49% of adults surveyed report that they had eaten less at fast-food restaurants, 50% said theyd eaten less fast-food takeout, and 61% said theyd eaten less at sit-down restaurants.

An Aug. 2010 report from The NPD Group, Port Washington, NY, predicts that visits to U.S. restaurants will grow less than 1% a year during the next decade, slower than the 1.1% a year growth in the countrys population, primarily due to the aging of the baby boomersand aging consumers tend to not dine out as often, notes the market-research firm.

And, according to a Feb. 2010 survey by Packaged Facts (part of the July 2010 report, Prepared Foods and Ready-to-Eat Foods at Retail: The New Competition to Foodservice"), 50% of respondents say they are more likely to eat dinner at home compared to three months ago, and 64% of adult consumers have purchased ready-to-eat and/or heat-and-eat food from a grocery store or supermarket in the last month.