Convenience Foods

Convenience foods are foods that have had preparation steps incorporated into their processing, or have been completely prepared during processing. This decreases preparation steps and time for the consumer. The "convenience" can mean the premixing of the ingredients for a cake or offering a fully prepared frozen meal. The term convenience food is generic and can apply to just about any food, but it is generally used in reference to canned items, instant foods or mixes, frozen foods or meals, and fast foods. Although they can be more costly than home-cooked meals, the trend is toward their increased use throughout the world.

SEE ALSO Dietary Trends, American ; Dietary Trends, International ; Fast Foods .

Judith C. Rodriguez

Bibliography

Anderson, J., and Deskins, B. (1995). The Nutrition Bible. New York: William Morrow.

Labensky, S.; Ingram, G. G.; Labensky, S. R. (1997). Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.