Snacks disguised as mini meals; Vacuum Veggies; Raising the bar for plant protein

Snacks disguised as mini meals
Farmer’s Pantry offers three new flavors of Meal Snacks—a 2.5 oz portion of meat and a side in a pouch with two compartments to keep the food components separate until consumption. One compartment keeps the meat tender and moist while the other section maintains that the vegetables, cornbread or fries stay crunchy. Each 2.5-oz pouch carries a suggested retail price of $5.99.

New varieties include Chicken & Waffle Crisps—consisting of chicken jerky made from chicken breast and waffle crisps (190 calories and 14 g protein), Steak & Fries—made with beef jerky and French fry crisps (220 calories and 14 g protein), and Turkey & Fixins—containing turkey jerky made from turkey breast and a blend of veggies, croutons, and cranberries (200 calories and 13 g protein). The products are available in the United States at mass merchandisers, convenience stores, and grocery stores, including Walmart, Costco, Publix, Shoprite, Hudson News, H-E-B, and 7-11. They also can be purchased online through Amazon.

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Veggies under vacuum
Straight From The Root distributes organic ready-to-eat vegetables that are produced using the sous vide cooking method, which helps preserve nutrients, taste, and texture. The products can be eaten straight from the package, warmed over a stove, or heated up in a microwave in under a minute.

During processing, cut veggies are packed in vacuum-sealed bags and cooked in a precisely controlled heated water bath. The bags are then blanched in an ice bath to stop the cooking process, resulting in tender, flavorful vegetables that are evenly cooked and not mushy. The bag traps nutrients, vitamins, and minerals and delivers a 45-day shelf life at refrigerated temperatures.

Current products include baby carrots, red beets, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and honey gold potatoes. The organic product line is available in the United States in select Ralphs, Smith’s, and Whole Foods stores.

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Raising the bar for plant protein
PowerBar has introduced PowerBar Plant Protein Bars as part of its campaign to evolve its product portfolio with cleaner ingredient labels. The new bars include ingredients like nuts, pumpkin seeds, and crisped rice (with no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners) and are dipped and drizzled with dark chocolate for a tasty on-the-go snack. The bars’ high-quality protein (10–11 g) comes from cashews, almonds or peanuts (depending on the flavor), pea protein crisps, and rice protein crisps.

Varieties in the new line include PowerBar Plant Protein Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt—230 calories, 8 g of fiber, and 10 g of nut (almond) protein; PowerBar Plant Protein Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter—230 calories, 7 g of fiber, and 11 g of nut (peanut) protein; and PowerBar Plant Protein Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Cashew—230 calories, 7 g of fiber, and 10 g of nut (cashew) protein. All products are Non-GMO Project Verified.