Heat and serve meals
Heat and serve meals, ready meals, microwave meals or TV dinners are prepackaged, frozen or chilled meals that are usually sold or divided into an individual portion. It requires little preparation.
The original TV dinner was in an aluminium tray that was heated in the oven. Most frozen food trays are usually plastic and microwaveable.
Unfrozen pre-cooked ready meals, which are usually chilled and need much less time for reheating, are also very popular. They are intended for immediate reheating and consumption.
There are many different varieties of frozen and chilled ready meals, which are easily available and aimed to different consumers. These include 'gourmet' recipes, organic and vegetarian, low fat, foreign cuisine and young children meals.
A TV dinner usually has meat, such as beef or chicken, with a vegetable, and sometimes a dessert. They may also contain and entree such as pasta or a fish, and rice is a common side dish.
HEALTH CONCERNS
The freezing of the foods can degrade the taste, and so the meals are more processed with extra salt and fat to taste better.
Also, stabilising the product for a long period generally means the companies will use partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (a type of trans fat).
The dinners are also significantly less nutritious than fresh foods and are made for long storage, thus requiring preservatives like BHT (a controversial substance which has been linked to hyperactivity and cancer). However, different brands vary.
TASK 6
1. List 3 consumer groups which heat and serve meals are marketed towards. Give a reason why each of these groups may purchase this type of product.
Families- It is a quick and easy meal that they can all enjoy in front of the TV with little cleaning up, preparation or cooking
Students- They may not have the money to buy better food, or they will be very busy study and so do not usually have the time or facilities to cook healthier food
Busy people - People who work long shifts or do many other things and so do not have the luxury of being able to prepare a home cooked meal.
The original TV dinner was in an aluminium tray that was heated in the oven. Most frozen food trays are usually plastic and microwaveable.
Unfrozen pre-cooked ready meals, which are usually chilled and need much less time for reheating, are also very popular. They are intended for immediate reheating and consumption.
There are many different varieties of frozen and chilled ready meals, which are easily available and aimed to different consumers. These include 'gourmet' recipes, organic and vegetarian, low fat, foreign cuisine and young children meals.
A TV dinner usually has meat, such as beef or chicken, with a vegetable, and sometimes a dessert. They may also contain and entree such as pasta or a fish, and rice is a common side dish.
HEALTH CONCERNS
The freezing of the foods can degrade the taste, and so the meals are more processed with extra salt and fat to taste better.
Also, stabilising the product for a long period generally means the companies will use partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (a type of trans fat).
The dinners are also significantly less nutritious than fresh foods and are made for long storage, thus requiring preservatives like BHT (a controversial substance which has been linked to hyperactivity and cancer). However, different brands vary.
TASK 6
1. List 3 consumer groups which heat and serve meals are marketed towards. Give a reason why each of these groups may purchase this type of product.
Families- It is a quick and easy meal that they can all enjoy in front of the TV with little cleaning up, preparation or cooking
Students- They may not have the money to buy better food, or they will be very busy study and so do not usually have the time or facilities to cook healthier food
Busy people - People who work long shifts or do many other things and so do not have the luxury of being able to prepare a home cooked meal.