It's March! Frozen Food Month

We’re celebrating the 33rd annual promotion with the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association and their consumer platform, EasyHomeMeals

March is Frozen Food Month, and this year we’re celebrating the 33rd annual promotion with the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association and their consumer platform, EasyHomeMeals. The annual promotion helps supermarket retailers showcase the most versatile, delicious and convenient foods in their aisles to shoppers through extensive advertising, PR and social media campaigns, as well as partnerships with such sites as Tasting Table and Coupons.com.

It’s common knowledge that frozen foods have come a long way since the TV dinners of the 1950s. We need to change the perception and common myths about frozen – de-bunk the myths, if you will – and uncover ways to use frozen foods, every day. 

Much has changed over the past 30 years in the frozen aisles as brands have focused more on ethnic cuisine, on more efficient and innovative packaging and certainly on bringing much more diverse, fresh and wholesome flavors to a variety of meal occasions—breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. In 2016, frozen food has become more important to shoppers than ever before, as they are seeking healthier as well as more indulgent offerings, more sustainable and transparent sources of their foods and perfectly portioned options to refrain from waste. 

Our SupermarketGuru Consumer Panel Surveys continue to report that one of the best ways to reduce food waste is to buy pre-portioned frozen meals and sides or find new ways to assemble meals using the freezer aisle for inspiration. In fact, almost 80 percent of our respondents told us that they are extremely or very concerned about reducing food waste in their homes, and it’s just in time, as the Department of Agriculture and EPA has announced their plans to reduce waste by 50 percent over the next 15 years. 

Additionally, did you know that nearly half of respondents (47 percent) said they use frozen foods in everyday meal occasions? And for those singles, over a quarter of them find eating frozen foods to be their number one choice when dining solo. There is a variety of convenient options in the freezer aisle with quick and easy ready-to-eat dishes, unexpected flavor combinations and ethnic-inspired cuisines that are sure to satisfy any craving. 

As millennials begin families and finally are entering the workforce, we expect to continue seeing their passion for food and culinary entertaining continue. Because of this, their impact on the frozen food aisle is very clear—they are reinventing kitchen preparation. 

One of the most talked about food trends these days is “meal kits” – the ones you order online and get delivered in a day or two that contain all the ingredients you need to prepare a meal. Why wait for two days, have a sink full of pots and pans and risk being disappointed? You’ll find the ultimate meal kit right in the freezer section of the supermarket where you can mix and match the foods you love and create the perfect meal for your family based on what they enjoy. 

This generation is used to spur-of-the-moment get-togethers and relies on their freezers to have some of the most quick and convenient yet delicious foods to impress their friends – which is why supermarket retailers need to leverage March Frozen Food Month to sample and promote the latest innovations alongside the tried and true bestsellers. Real ingredients, New and tasty recipes, quick and easy meal assembly, interesting frozen herbs, improved frozen sautés,  fruit frozen fresh, artisan pizzas and breads, chef-inspired entrees (and more!) are all perfect to attract the attention of today’s consumers who are looking to customize their meals for ever-changing palates, cravings and flavor trends.

NFRA’s 2016 Real Food. Frozen PR campaign promises to be the most impactful and, with support from food retailers, will guarantee our shoppers the best-tasting, easy-to-assemble, convenient and high-quality frozen foods that are less wasteful and the most enjoyable foods they can buy.

I support NFRA’s March Frozen Food Month Campaign, and I hope you will too. Visit EasyHomeMeals.com for more.