Frozen food brand, Birds Eye, is targeting busy but health conscious shoppers with a new comfort food for winter.

Simplot Australia, which operates Birds Eye in Australia, is this month debuting a new cheesy variety of SteamFresh products in Australian supermarkets.

The SteamFresh range features frozen vegetables in cheese sauce that takes three minutes to reheat.

Kelly Wilson, brand manager of frozen vegetables retail/food service at Simplot Australia, says the range targets Australian households of one or two people.

Sixty per cent of the brand’s steamed vegetable products are currently purchased by smaller sized households, says Wilson.

“We know consumers will enjoy recreating a favourite and traditional veggie side dish with no fuss.

“Our research shows that adding flavour such as a cheese sauce to vegetables is a great way to reduce barriers to eating more vegetables.”

Serving suggestions include pairing the vegetable pouches with grilled steak, seared salmon, or lamb cutlets.

“This range is perfect for consumers who are constantly on the go and looking for simple, tasty and nutritious meal ideas,” says Wilson.

The product range follows the release of other Simplot meal solutions in the last six months, such as a Tuna & Rice combination from John West.

Tuna & Rice is marketed as a complete ‘on the go’ meal that takes 45 seconds to heat up in a microwave.

Targeting busy Australians

John West and Brids Eye aren’t the only brands releasing quick meal options for busy Australian shoppers.

For instance, Arnott’s engaged in a supermarket campaign last year that positioned its biscuits as an alternative to lunchtime sandwiches.

Supermarket majors Coles and Woolworths are also noticeably ramping up their homebrand meal bases and packaged produce, such as pre-sliced stirfry vegetable packs.

IGA is also targeting this group, with its new Xpress stores offering various meal solutions for time poor Sydney shoppers.