# Butternut Macaroni Meals CeCe's Veggie Company is Introducing Heat-and-Eat Squash-Based Meal By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2018-09-13 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/butternut-macaroni References: [nosh](https://www.nosh.com/news/2018/5-brands-break-new-categories-expo-east-2018) & [cecesveggieco](https://cecesveggieco.com/products/#noodled) There are countless [single-serve macaroni and cheese meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/single-serve-plant-based-entrees) that have been introduced for the utmost convenience but [CeCe's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/homecourts-cece-body-mist) Veggie Company is putting a better-for-you spin on this classic comfort meal with two new butternut macaroni products. CeCe's Veggie Company offers a wide range of [vegetable-based "noodles"](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sunny-luna) that are spiralized and the newest additions to its line that are being shared at this year's Natural Products Expo East are butternut-based. The macaroni and cheese-like meals feature organic butternut squash that has been cut into elbow noodle-style shells and paired with organic cheddar cheese or a non-dairy, vegan-friendly cheese sauce alternative. These vegetable-based meals have the potential to be heated and enjoyed in a matter of minutes, with the brand helping to simplify mealtime by taking care of the time-consuming task of properly preparing vegetables. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.3/10 - Popularity: 57% | Activity: 34% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Better-for-you Convenience Meals:** There is a need for healthier variations of convenient meals to cater to the growing health-conscious market - **Vegetable-based Meal Options:** There is a potential market for more vegetable-based meal options as consumers seek healthier and more sustainable food choices - **Simplification of Meal Preparation:** There is a need for innovative meal solutions that simplify meal preparation without sacrificing nutrition ### Where This Applies - **Organic Foods:** The organic food industry can benefit from the increasing demand for healthier, sustainable and convenient meal options - **Plant-based Foods:** There is an opportunity for the plant-based food industry to continue innovating with their products, moving beyond just meat alternatives and towards healthier and more sustainable meal options - **Fast-casual Restaurants:** Fast-casual restaurants can explore the potential of introducing healthier and more sustainable meal options to cater to the growing health-conscious market ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Alternative Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/natural-heaven.md) - [Vegan-Friendly Macaroni Meal Cups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kraft-notmac-cheese-cups.md) - [Grown-Up Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/truffle-mac-and-cheese.md) - [Limited-Edition Kid Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/healthy-mac-cheese.md) - [Clean-Label Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/deluxe-mac-and-cheese.md) - [Clean-Ingredient Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/frozen-mac-and-cheese.md) - [Gourmet Dairy-Free Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/daiya-deluxe-mac-cheeze.md) - [Nutrient-Dense Macaroni Cups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/goodles-microwave-cups.md) - [High-Fiber Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/goodwheat-1.md)