More time-poor Aust consumers eating ready meals

Ask most people how they are and you’ll get the same response: “Busy”. As such we’re all looking for shortcuts - and anything that reduces the amount of time spent on food preparation is generally welcome. This may be why more Australians eat frozen or chilled ready-made meals now than five years ago.

In the year to March 2010, 8.1% of Australians said they’d eaten a frozen or chilled ready-made meal in the last seven days. In 2014, this figure has risen to 9.4% - an increase of around 373,000 people, according to new figures from Roy Morgan Research.

The researchers found this increase is especially noticeable among Australians who agree with the statement, “I don’t have time to spend cooking” and those who agree with, “I’m constantly watching my weight”. Of those too busy to cook, 15.7% reported eating at least one frozen/chilled meal a week (up from 13.1% in 2010), while 10.5% of those watching their weight reported the same frequency - up from 8.8% in 2010.

% of each group who ate a frozen/chilled ready-made meal in an average seven days: 2010 vs 2014. Source: Roy Morgan Single Source.

“Frozen/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 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,” said Angela Smith, group account director - consumer products, Roy Morgan Research.

“Many of these frozen/chilled meals are nutritionally balanced and low in calories, so they also make life easier for people watching their weight.”

Smith says people living in recently developed metro suburbs trying to balance family and career are more than 50% more likely than the average Australian to eat frozen/chilled ready meals during an average week.