September 4, 2025 – In the U.S., the ready meals category provides consumers with solutions for the stress of meal preparation. While price and convenience remain key drivers for the purchase of ready meals, consumers’ attitudes toward food preparation are evolving. As a result, there are many opportunities for brands to reposition the category. Resonating with emotion, promoting health consciousness, and incorporating storytelling are a few of the many approaches brands are using to cater to shifting consumer preferences. Innova Market Insights analyzes these changes to examine the future direction of ready meal consumption in the U.S. food and beverage market.
Connect to Value More Than Price
The ready meal price category is being pulled in two economic directions. Among increased ready meal users, 39% cite that ready meals are cheaper than eating out. In contrast 49% of consumers (among decreased ready meal users) point to budget pressure as the reason for cutting back. Therefore, these conflicting figures highlight that for U.S. consumers, price sensitivity is contextual, and brands should focus on value derived from more than just cost. Trade-offs, not discounts, define perceived value, and consumers are willing to spend when the alternative is saving time, avoiding effort, or delivering indulgence. As a result, targeted convenience will be essential for the future expansion of ready meals.
In addition, emotional drivers are the second highest motivation for category engagement. 20% of U.S. consumers eat ready meals to relax or wind down, while 19% consume to increase their happiness. 18% also indicate that personal indulgence is the main driving factor for consumption in the U.S. market. Therefore, conveying value to customers by catering to their emotional needs is an opportunity for meaningful differentiation for ready meals. Brands can use this emotional appeal to justify premium positioning, build loyalty, and elevate routine usage of ready meals for consumers into their lifestyles.
Capitalize on Formats
Consumers no longer assess ready meals in isolation. They now must weigh them against a wide range of competitors that include restaurant takeout, refrigerated meal kits, and deli-prepared foods. The traditional advantage of ready meals, which was speed and affordability, is no longer unique. Therefore, to remain relevant, ready meal manufacturers must defend their value proposition not by being cheaper but by offering something distinct.
30% of consumers stop buying ready meals due to lack of variety or boredom, and they simultaneously prioritize taste and affordability. Therefore, research on consumer trends indicates that offering bold new flavors in recognizable formats is key to growth in the ready meal category. For example, companies like Tapatío are leveraging established brand reputation and familiar formats to reach consumers who are interested in new flavor-forward experiences. The brand’s chili lime shrimp ramen bowl provides an accessible entry point for consumers who may be curious about chili-lime combinations but not inclined to cook from scratch or buy niche sauces. Moreover, in both high- and low-income categories, 21-26% of consumers report they are more likely to experiment with flavors for ready meals, highlighting the opportunity for innovation.
Trends in Storytelling
Storytelling and simplicity are two other avenues that the ready meal category can capitalize on, aligning with consumer preference for enjoyment alongside convenience. Pairing nostalgic staples with iconic franchises, reframing the narrative of how to incorporate ready meals into daily life, and fantasy packaging are a few ways brands are adjusting their strategy to satisfy U.S. consumers.
For example, Cambell’s Spaghetti O’s Super Mario product line taps into both childhood delight and Millennial parent nostalgia. The collaboration elevates a shelf-staple through co-branded familiarity, and as a result, the product transforms into a fun, collectible meal with built-in emotional permission to purchase. Another brand, Lunchly, is also maximizing their use of storytelling by associating their meals as a solution to the parental routine. The snackable components and health-forward claims speak directly to adults who want lunch handled without sacrificing quality or appeal to kids.
Stealth-Health Reformulations
In the U.S. food market, only 15% of consumers list health as a reason for purchasing ready meals. Health isn’t a purchase motivator, but it is a dropout trigger. This hidden standard requires brands to deliver on wellness cues, without making it the headline. Even if it is not a front-of-pack priority, ingredient transparency is key to retention. Visual design, portioning, and ingredient signaling are a few ways brands can quietly reassure consumers, without making health an overt selling point.
Rebuild Trust in Plant-Based
22% of consumers still look to plant-based as a preferred dietary feature, indicating that they have not lost interest in plant-based eating. Rather, they have lost trust in overprocessed stand-ins, and this reflects a shift in the category from imitation to using whole ingredients that feel satisfying and trustworthy. Therefore, food trends in the U.S. demonstrate that consumers who once chased novelty in plant-based offerings now seek simplicity, particularly in wellness-focused products or better-for-you meals.
For example, brands like Passage to Asia are moving away from meat replacements and toward showcasing plant-rich options with whole ingredients. The brand’s Japanese curry product includes whole ingredients like carrots, onions, in potatoes that consumers prefer compared to overprocessed meat replacements.
What’s Next for Ready Meals in the US?
Although ready meals offer quick and convenient solutions for mealtimes, price remains a decisive factor when it comes to the growth of the category. Innova’s research suggests that the solution for consumer retention will be the bifurcation of the category into two distinct value tiers. Premium lifestyle products (restaurant quality, clean label, emotional pay-off) and utilitarian budget options (basic meals for time-pressed, price sensitive households) will enable consumers to invest in what works for them.
In addition, seasonal rotations, limited time offers, and surprise drops will drive future growth, like in craft beer or snack categories. Flavor fatigue will be seen as a strategic failure rather than a consumer trait, and static SKUs will lose share. Finally, emotional meal framing will rival functional claims to an even greater extent, positioning comfort, reward, and decompression ahead of speed.
This article is based on Innova’s Ready Meals in the US report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more