Chicago, Illinois-headquartered Conagra Brands is debuting more than two dozen new products this summer to appeal to people cooking and eating at home in record number due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on restaurants. Frozen products are in the forefront, led and Birds Eye, Marie Callender’s and Healthy Choice ready meals and side dishes.
Plant-based products continue to rise in popularity, and not just for vegetarians and vegans, but for flexitarians too. Nearly 40% of Americans are reportedly attempting to incorporate more plant-based options into their diets. To answer the increased demand, frozen brands including Birds Eye, Gardein, Healthy Choice and Marie Callender’s have developed new items including:
- Birds Eye Meatless Lasagna with Gardein Plant-Based Protein: produced with Gardein B’ef and pasta made from vegetables.
- Birds Eye Skillets with Gardein Plant-Based Protein: available in two flavors, Garlic Chick’n and Alfredo Chick’n.
- Healthy Choice Power Bowls with Gardein Plant-Based Protein: offered in two flavors, Be’f & Vegetable Stir Fry, and Chipotle Chick’n.
- Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Jerky: distributed in three flavors, Original, Teriyaki and Hot & Spicy.
- Gardein Plant-Based Soups: available in five plant-based meat flavors, Chick’n Noodl’, Be’f & Vegetable, Saus’ge Gumbo, Chick’n & Rice, and Minestrone & Saus’ge.
- Marie Callender’s Pot Pies with Gardein Plant-Based Protein: available in two flavors, Chick’n and Be’f.
Meal Options for Various Diet Preferences
Nowadays, consumers are following both preferred and prescribed dietary guidelines that best fit their lifestyles and needs. Whether eating keto-friendly or on a low-carbohydrates meal plan, reducing gluten or sticking to an all-vegan consumption, brands including EVOL and Blake’s have created on-trend options that fill the bill, such as:
- Blake’s Gluten Free Mac and Cheese.
- EVOL Pizza: available in two flavors, 3-Cheese and Pepperoni. These keto-friendly pizzas are gluten free and feature a crust made with chicken & parmesan cheese!
- Healthy Choice Power Bowls Whole Earth Bowls: offered in Green Goddess (vegan) and Buddha Bowl (vegetarian).
- Healthy Choice Bone Broth Soups: distributed in three flavors made with bone broth, Chicken Noodle, Chicken with Rice, and Lentil Vegetable.
- EVOL Modern Lifestyle Bowls with Paleo-friendly options: available in four flavors, Paleo-friendly Guajillo Chicken & Cauliflower; Plant-based Butternut Squash Curry; Paleo-friendly Unwrapped Chicken Egg Roll; and Plant-based Veggie Burrito.
Over the next few months, more new foods from the Conagra Brands roster will be unveiled, including restaurant-inspired meals from P.F. Chang’s Home Menu with single-serve ramen and veggie appetizers, Baked Sides and Cauliflower Wings from Birds Eye, Double Chicken and Meat Bowls from Hungry Man and more.
