convenience food

Convenience food, or tertiary processed food, is commercially prepared food designed for ease of consumption.^[1] Products designated as convenience foods are often preprepared food stuffs that can be sold as hot, ready-to-eat dishes; as room temperature, shelf-stable products; or as refrigerated or frozen products that require minimal preparation, typically just heating.^[2]

These products often are sold in portion controlled, single serve packaging designed for portability for "on-the-go" or later eating. Convenience food can include products such as candy; beverages such as soft drinks, juices and milk; fast food; nuts, fruits and vegetables in fresh or preserved states; processed meats and cheeses; and canned products such as soups and pasta dishes.

Critics have derided the increasing trend of convenience foods because of numerous issues. Several groups have cited the environmental harm of single serve packaging due to the increased usage of plastics that contributes to solid waste in landfills.^[3][4] Health organizations have spoken out about the high levels of salts, fats and preservatives in these products which critics claim are a contributing factor of the obesity epidemic in western nations.^[5]

History

Modern convenience food saw their beginnings in the period that began after World War II in the United States. Many of these products had their origins in military developed foods designed for storage longevity and ease of preparation in the battle field. After the war, many commercial food companies were left with surplus manufacturing facilities. These companies developed new lines of canned and freeze dried foods that were designed for use in the home. Like many product introductions, not all were successful; products that are convenience food staples such as fish sticks and canned peaches were counterbalanced by failures such as ham sticks and cheeseburgers-in-a-can.^[6]

Criticisms

References

See also

• TV dinner
• Food desert
• Food preservation
• Food processing
• Junk food

External links

• Social Change and Foodways
• American Women and the Making of Modern Consumer Culture
• Convenience Foods: Factors Affecting Their Use Where Household Diets are Poor
• British Frozen Foods Federation: The Last 50 Years
• US Food Facts & History