# Ready-Made Grocery Pre-assembled meals provide a healthy and fresh option for busy shoppers. By [Gil Cohen](https://www.trendhunter.com/ghaddi), SVP Client Success | Published Jun 27, 2017 | Category: [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/pro/category/lifestyle-trends) Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/readymade-grocery ## Key Figures - Trend score: 3.8/10 - Evidence articles: 6 ## What is the Ready-Made Grocery trend? **Ready-Made Grocery:** Staying competitive with the modern instant gratification culture, grocery stores are offering an increasingly gourmet range of ready-to-eat meals that are easy to take on the go and require minimal, if any, preparation. As health-conscious consumers begin looking for fresh foods outside of the frozen section, supermarkets are offering already assembled plates to help take the guesswork out of meal-prep, providing a fast solution that’s perfect for the Millennial professional on their lunch break or the busy parent who has limited time to make a healthy meal for themselves. ## At a Glance - Evidence: 6 featured examples - Articles from: Feb 8, 2016 to May 5, 2018 - Published: Jun 27, 2017 - Patterns: [Divergence](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/divergence), [Reduction](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/reduction) - Megatrends: [Curation](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/curation), [Simplicity](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/simplicity), [Authenticity](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/authenticity) ## Audience - Gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Themes within the Ready-Made Grocery trend ### Ready-to-Eat Meals As modern consumers embrace instant gratification, grocery stores are catering to the demand for quick and easy meal options. ### Heat-and-Eat Convenience Brands offering microwaveable meals or kits with minimal preparation requirements are disrupting the food industry's traditional meal prep and consumption methods. ### Gourmet Groceries Small grocers, as well as large supermarket chains, are starting to offer restaurant-quality ready-to-eat meals to meet the public's changing dining habits. ## What the Ready-Made Grocery trend means for industry ### For Food Retail Grocery stores are embracing the demand for more instant, ready-to-eat meal options. ### For Meal Kit Delivery Meal kit delivery services can incorporate more heat-and-eat meals and provide consumers with greater convenience and less meal prep time. ### For Convenience Stores Convenience stores can expand beyond snack foods to offer more meal kit or microwavable meal options, catering to the busy lifestyles of their clientele. ## Workshop question How can you expedite the decision-making process for busy consumers? ## Trend signals for Ready-Made Grocery Trend score 3.8 out of 10, from popularity 51%, activity 56%, freshness 8%. - Popularity: 51% - Activity: 56% - Freshness: 8% ## Examples of the Ready-Made Grocery trend 6 featured examples from Feb 8, 2016 to May 5, 2018. - [Heat-and-Eat Supermarket Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eat-fit-go): The 'Eat Fit Go' Meals Can Be Taken Home and Consumed Immediately (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: This industry can leverage heat-and-eat meal trends to offer consumers more affordable and nutritious meal options as well as work with chefs to expand menu options. - [Pre-Made Lunch Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lunch-kits): Ready Pac Foods' Fresh Prep'd Brand Offers Easy-to-Make Wraps and Soups (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: Opportunity for packaging companies to develop convenient and eco-friendly packaging solutions for pre-made lunch kits. - [Pre-Peeled Egg Snack Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snack-set): Eggland's Best Snack Sets Pair Hard-Boiled Eggs wit Nuts, Cheese & Meat (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: The food packaging industry can explore innovative packaging solutions for snack kits that keep the pre-peeled hard-boiled eggs and other perishable items fresh and convenient. - [Portable Quinoa Bowls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/quinoa-bowls): Cucina & Amore's Ready-to-Eat Meals Require No Preparation or Cooking (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop eco-friendly packaging solutions that preserve the freshness and quality of separate meal components, catering to the rising demand for… - [Gourmet Grocery Store Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pasta-provisions): Pasta & Provisions Offers Gourmet Groceries and Ready-to-Eat Meals (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: Existing supermarkets can consider adding hot food sections and take-out options to attract more customers. - [Ready-Made Pasta Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pasta-meals): These Deep-Frozen Pasta Meals are Pre-Dressed with Meat and Sauce (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: The frozen food industry can seize the opportunity to create innovative and convenient ready-to-eat meal options for busy consumers. ## Recent trend clusters - [Assisted Choices](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/weight-loss-medication-support) (Lifestyle) - [Storyline Sips](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/themed-drink-menus) (Lifestyle) - [Bedtime Cocoon](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/sleep-sensory-blocking) (Lifestyle) - [Source Signatures](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/oak-finish-whiskey) (Lifestyle) ## Trending in Lifestyle - [Mystery Packaging Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cow-not-laughing) - [Multi-Benefit Protein Shakes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/comes-in-three-flavors) - [Creator-Led Learning Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/learning-series) - [Accessible Fintech Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chequing-account) All articles: [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle)