Nearly one in ten Australians 14+ have eaten a frozen or chilled ready-prepared meal in the last seven days and the number is on the rise, according to Roy Morgan Research.
The researcher found more Australians eat frozen and chilled ready-made meals in an average seven days now than just five years ago.
In the year to March 2010, 8.1 per cent of Australians 14+ said they’d eaten a frozen/chilled ready-prepared meal in the last seven days. In the year to March 2014, this figure had risen to 9.4 per cent, an increase of about 373,000 people.
The researcher found the increase was especially marked among Australians who agree with the statement: “I don’t have time to spend cooking” and among those who agree “I’m constantly watching my weight”.
Of those who don’t have time to cook, 15.7 per cent reported eating at least one frozen/chilled meal in an average seven days (up from 13.1 per cent in the year to March 2010), while 10.5 per cent of those watching their weight did the same (up from 8.8 per cent).
Angela Smith, group account director, Consumer Products, Roy Morgan Research, says frozen and chilled ready-made meals represent a convenient short-cut for busy Australians who don’t have time to cook their own meals every night.
“With supermarkets stocking a an ever-increasing range of pre-prepared options such as lasagne, risotto, gourmet soups and curries, it’s easier than ever to bypass fast food and eat healthily even when pressed for time.
“Many of these frozen/chilled meals are nutritionally balanced and low in calories, so they also make life easier for people watching their weight,” she says.
