US Prepared Meals Market Report 2023

Stay ahead of the curve and secure future growth for your business with Mintel’s US Prepared Meals Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest trends and consumer behaviours affecting your industry. Get a 360° view of the US prepared meals industry including market size, share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.

Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.

Key Areas Covered in this Report

• Analysis of sales and market share trends in key category segments
• Motivations for prepared meal consumption and key attributes sought
• Consumer interest in prepared meal product concepts
• Attitudes toward prepared meals

Current Prepared Meals Market Overview

Following several years of disruption, the US prepared meals market is settling back into its long-term slow-growth pattern. Consumption levels are returning to pre-pandemic levels, however usage of prepared meals is still widespread in the US, with more than 80% of consumers having eaten at least one type in the past three months to May 2023.

• US prepared meals market size: Mintel forecasts that the market will increase by an estimated 4.2% in 2023.
• Prepared meals market segmentation: Single-serve frozen meals lead the category, with a 38% share of sales.

US Ready Meals Market Trends: What consumers want and why

While the long-term expectation is for slow, steady growth, brands and retailers can accelerate through innovations in portioning, preparation methods, and cuisine variety that make the category relevant across a wider array of use occasions.

• Expanded portion options: Over a third of consumers would like to see packaged prepared meals with resealable packaging, which could be combined with individual portions to reduce waste.
• Preparation methods beyond the microwave: More than one third of consumers, especially those aged 35+, would like to see more meals that can be prepared in a skillet, suggesting general interest in preparation beyond the microwave, such as baking or stir-frying.
• Amplify cuisine variety: While most consumers tend to stick with popular cuisines such as Mexican, Italian, or Chinese, significant numbers also expressed interest in less common cuisines, such as Thai or Vietnamese. Having more options available could help consumers avoid flavour fatigue, and motivate them to turn to prepared meals more frequently.

More About this Report

This report provides information on market share and retail sales for the key players in the prepared meals market, including Conagra Brands Inc, Nestlé SA, Amy’s Kitchen Inc, Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL, and more. For the purposes of this Report, prepared meals are defined as complete meals or entrées that are precooked and frozen or refrigerated.

Purchase our full US Prepared Meals Market Report 2023 to discover lucrative innovation opportunities to help your business grow during times of financial uncertainty.

Expert Insights from a Food Industry Analyst

This report, written by John Owen, a leading food and retail analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the prepared meals market and add expert context to the numbers.

Convenience is a category-defining benefit for prepared meals, but the biggest opportunities for growth may come for products that slow things down, just a little bit. Alternative prep methods that bypass the microwave, new cuisines to explore and ideas for customizing and mixing and matching meals and sides have the potential to deepen engagement and satisfaction with the category.

John Owen
Associate Director – Food and Retail