Frozen foods will be on 2021 trend and shopping lists

The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), national trade association that advances the interests of all segments of the frozen food and beverage industry, published of key reasons why frozen foods will be on trend and shopping lists in 2021.

The frozen food category, from fruits and snacks to ready meals, showed record sales over the past year. Consumer research indicates this will continue to be the case even after the pandemic subsides.

Alison Bodor, President and CEO at AFFI, said strong sales data only tells part of the story. “Frozen foods align with the times we’re living in, offering consumers nutrition, variety, ease of preparation and certainty at a moment we’re needing it more than ever in our kitchens and on our tables,” he noted.

AFFI describes five main reasons why frozen foods will trend up in 2021:

- Frozen plant-based foods have become an alternative to meat among vegetarians, flexitarians and all consumers. The frozen innovative plant-based products offerings many trendy options for those all-in. For example veggie burgers.

- Consumers will continue to seek foods that boost their immunity. The frozen aisles are filled with wholesome foods from berries and salmon to spinach, broccoli and burger patties with blended mushroom.

- Personalized nutrition is also gwowing in demand. Consumers are downloading personal nutrition planners and dialing up daily fitness/meal planning subscriptions. Frozen food has a variety of single-serve items with clear nutritional information, such as fruit smoothie packs or single-serve healthy and light lunches, which help consumers meet their personal nutritional needs.

- Frozen foods beat back cooking fatigue by helping home chefs and providing simple, pre-cooked or cooked ingredients, side dishes and entrées, saving time and allowing families more time together.

- The immediate future is still uncertain. Spring 2020 showed panic buying and grocery supply issues. Frozen staples offer certainty during uncertain times and allow shoppers to stock up on a variety of healthy, easy-to-prepare foods, and reduce the frequency of their shopping trips.

AFFI is the member-driven national trade association that advances the interests of all segments of the frozen food and beverage industry. Through research, education and the development of effective practices, AFFI is committed to advancing food safety by providing frozen food manufacturers and industry partners with their one-stop food safety resource.

Click here to learn more about the American Frozen Food Institute.