What’s Missing from Holiday Meal Kits

This is the time of year where grocery stores and restaurants sell pre-cooked or fully cooked meals. This year I want to pretend I’m in food marketing and make suggestions to improve these meals. I understand the need, but they all seem to be so similar.

 

Proteins:

Fried Turkey- Fried turkey is superior preparation. It is however a lot of work. So, why not have that as an upgrade option. If you were going to fry a turkey you need outdoor space, a deep fryer that will fit a turkey, and peanut oil. Also, maybe a fire extinguisher just in case. I would gladly order a fried turkey for a meal kit. Regular roasted turkey is boring.

Red Meat- Some sort of cuts like prime rib or just some steaks would be a nice option. It’s the holidays so you might be more tempted to have something different. I have no idea how to cook prime rib or really most cuts of red meat so I would pay extra for that.

Plant-Based Option- I am a huge fan of meat but I do think these kits need to be more inclusive. One faux meat option and one vegetable-based main like roasted cauliflower. Or be able to order three meat-free sides as a bundle for a main.

 

Sides:

Mac n Cheese- Where is it? It’s always a potato-based side. I want mac n cheese. It is essential to holiday meals.

Roasted Vegetables- I want something else besides green beans. That is one of the easier things to cook, even for a large group. Roasting a lot of vegetables would be a lot of work so I’d like to see it as an option.

Biscuits or Rolls- Have we stopped eating bread with larger meals as a whole? I was surprised to see the lack of bread. I don’t eat a lot of bread during the holidays but I want the option at least.

Desserts- One pie or one cake isn’t enough. At least three options, especially for the larger setups. Actually, I think the customer should be able to pick their options.

 

One more idea:

Special Diet Meals- A lot of people have to eat a certain way. So where are the alternative options? Low carb, keto, plant-based, dairy-free. A lot of these meals need options to customize to be different than the others.