KANSAS CITY — As consumer demand for convenience continues to climb, grain-based food manufacturers are innovating with frozen foods, including waffles, meatless meals, breakfast bowls and pizzas.
The Kellogg Co. has updated its line of Thick & Fluffy Belgium-Style Waffles and added a new variety. The new Double Chocolatey flavor features a chocolate waffle made with cocoa and embedded with chocolate chips. Each waffle contains 160 calories.
“The new, fun flavor upgrades to our beloved Eggo Thick & Fluffy Waffles will provide the ultimate deliciously indulgent experience for waffle lovers nationwide,” said Dick Podiak, vice-president of marketing and innovation of frozen foods at Kellogg. “They are the fluffiest waffles that are just too good not to share.”
Nestle S.A.’s Lean Cuisine brand is launching Origins, a new line of meatless frozen entrees made with 70% organic ingredients. The lineup includes such offerings as Butternut Squash Lasagna, made with organic pasta; Coconut Chickpea Curry, made with long-grain brown rice; Farmer’s Market Pizza, made with a crispy organic crust; and Linguine with Ricotta & Spinach Meatless Meatballs, made with organic linguine.
“The Lean Cuisine team of chefs and nutritionists work hand in hand to create new ways to meet women’s evolving needs,” said Julie Lehman, marketing director of Lean Cuisine for Nestle. “The new Origins subline offers even more of what our consumers are after, from gluten-free foods to meatless offerings to options made with organic ingredients and now, vegan dishes. We have recipes every woman will enjoy, no matter their preference because we want to help nourish women and their pursuits.”
Conagra Brands, Inc. is adding breakfast options to its frozen Power Bowls line with new Morning Power Bowls. All four varieties — Unwrapped Burrito Scramble, Turkey Sausage and Egg White Scramble, Roasted Red Pepper and Egg White Shashuska, and Pesto and Egg White Scramble — feature a combination of leafy greens, proteins and grains such as steel cut oats, farro, buckwheat and red quinoa.
“Breakfast is really important to our health and well-being, yet people often make a lot of sacrifices when it comes to the first meal of the day,” said Tara Rozalowsky, brand director of Healthy Choice for Conagra Brands. “Healthy Choice Morning Power Bowls really deliver on a lot of what we’re seeking in the morning or any time of day really: something quick and healthy that tastes good because it’s packed with flavorful, nutrient dense ingredients.”
Quest Nutrition is entering the frozen pizza category with new Thin Crust Pizzas. The pizzas are keto friendly, gluten-free and contain 20 to 28 grams of protein and 5 to 6 grams of net carbs per serving. Varieties include four-cheese, uncured pepperoni and supreme.
Bantam Bagels is introducing Bantam Egg Bites featuring bite-size bagels stuffed with soft scrambled egg and cheese combinations. The egg bites contain 100 calories and 5 grams of protein each and are available in four varieties: original, onion gruyere, chipotle and veggie.
“Our goal is to take foods that give you that happy, cozy Saturday morning feeling and make them accessible for an everyday burst of guilt-free, easy enjoyment,” said Elyse Oleksak, co-founder of Bantam Bagels.
