They say size matters. Yet perhaps that doesn’t apply to a food industry where small sizes—delivered as appetizers or side dishes—deliver big flavor and comfort.

Conagra Brands, Chicago, addressed this subject this January with its “Future of Frozen Food 2026” report. It identified one of four top trends as “Restaurant Cravings, Frozen Convenience.”

“As the cost of dining out continues to climb, consumers are recreating restaurant experiences at home. ‘Takeout-style’ frozen foods now total $14.3 billion in annual sales, driven by iconic chicken formats, global flavors and shareable snacks,” said Conagra. “Younger generations and families are leading this shift, turning to frozen for restaurant-quality taste, convenience and value, especially during social moments like game days and gatherings.”

New shareable snacks and global flavors certainly are easy to find on store shelves.

Mainstream examples include items from Rich Products Corp., Buffalo, N.Y., and McCain Foods USA, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. Last summer saw Rich double down with six new items for its Farm Rich brand. Morning additions included Bacon Breakfast Roll-Ups, Loaded Hashbrown Bites and Maple French Toast Bites. Afternoon and evening additions were Buffalo Style Chicken Roll-Ups (with Frank’s RedHot sauce), Italian Sausage Mozzarella Cheese Sticks and Chocolate Brownie Bites.

APPETIZERS & SIDE DISHES • BAKERY • BEVERAGES • BREAKFAST CEREALS & BARS • DAIRY • PREPARED MEALS & ENTREES • MEAT & POULTRY • PIZZA • PLANT-BASED DAIRY • PLANT-BASED MEAT, POULTRY & SEAFOOD • SAUCES, DRESSINGS & SPREADES • SEAFOOD • SNACKS & CONFECTIONS

McCain extended its TAST!EZ line with five new entries: Buffalo Mac & Cheese Triangles, Mexican-Style Street Corn Triangles, Chili Mac & Cheese Triangles, Sour Cream & Onion Cheese Curds, and Sweet BBQ Flavored Pork Triangles.

Retailers got into the act as well. Included in the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s (PLMA) 2025 “Salute to Excellence Awards” were United Natural Foods, Inc. and Metro Inc. United Natural took the “Asian-Inspired Foods” category with a Chicken Egg Rolls with Dipping Sauce product. Canada’s Montreal-based Metro chain took the appetizer category with its Irrésistible Hot Honey & Bacon Chicken Bites.

Global, restaurant-style flavors carried the year. Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. (AFNA) Ontario, Calif., extended its José Olé line with two additional taquito flavors: Birria Beef and Pollo Asado. This February, Ruiz Food Products Inc., Frisco, Tex., likewise extended its El Monterey taquito line with four new Más Bold varieties: Chicken Bacon Ranch, Spicy Chipotle Beef, Buffalo-style Chicken and Philly-style Cheesesteak.

More than anything, however, new Asian forms and flavors dominated new product activity. For its part, AFNA came back last October with pan-fry Ajinomoto Hane-Style Gyoza dumplings in Pork and Chicken varieties.

There was a wave of additional offerings from processors including Maple Leaf Foods Inc., Mississauga, Ont.; Deep Indian Kitchen, Union, N.J.; Synear Foods USA, Chatsworth, Calif.; and Laoban Dumplings, Washington, D.C.

Maple Leaf Foods took a South Asian-inspired approach with its Musafir protein-forward vegetarian and chicken-based offerings. Products include Paneer Burgers and Paneer Bites, Masala Paneer Bites, Popcorn Paneer, Masala Omelette Bites and Butter Chicken Bites. Frozen entrée maker Deep Indian Kitchen, Union, N.J., also branched into snacks with four Indian-style Momo Dumplings: Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken, Chicken Curry, and Veggie Masala.

Also eyeing the dumpling market was China’s Synear Foods. Last fall, it relaunched its Shrimp Supreme Dumplings with a refined formula, larger size, and new packaging. This January, it celebrated Chinese New Year with a Costco launch of Persimmon-Shaped Sticky Rice Balls with Black Sesame Filling. Last but not least, Laoban Dumplings was active last summer with three frozen snack Crunchy Bites offerings including Crab Rangoon, Scallion Pancakes, with Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken. It closed the year with a co-branded new Laoban x Bachan's Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken, featuring Bachan’s Japanese barbecue sauce.

Side Show Attractions

Not surprisingly, new side dishes also deliver global flavors as a primary theme. Other on-trend formulas understandably address full-flavor, craveable comfort and even added nutrition.

Kicking off this year with an award was Café Spice LLC, New Windsor, N.Y. Its refrigerated Coconut Spice Savory Side Dish won a gold 2026 sofi Award (Grains, Pasta & Legumes category) at the Specialty Food Association’s Winter FancyFaire. Rice also starred in more offerings from Riviana Foods Inc., Houston; LT Foods Americas, Cypress, Calif.; and Sunbury, Pa. retailer Weis Markets.

Last fall saw Riviana add two new flavors—Red Beans & Rice and Basmati Rice—to both its Carolina and Mahatma brands. Each item comes in a microwaveable pouch and is ready to eat in just 90 seconds. Elsewhere, LT Foods Americas extended its Royal line with a ready-to-heat Cuban Black Beans & Seasoned Basmati Rice. Last but not least, Weis Markets won a Private Label Manufacturers Association 2025 “Salute to Excellence” award for its pouched Jasmine Rice offering.

Afia Foods LLC, Austin, Tex., closed last year with its own unique twist on a holiday side dish: a frozen Mediterranean Stuffing featuring Afia’s signature falafel, parsley, coriander, cumin, sage, ginger and celery seed—along with such holiday staples as cranberries, kale, sweet potatoes and onions.

Processors delivered more new takes on traditional sides including those family-favorite items: potatoes and mac & cheese. Ready for French fries at home? Jesse & Ben’s, Washington, D.C., went retail with a full product line launch at Sprouts. Officials say it’s the only brand in the U.S. cooking its fries in grass-fed beef tallow “with restaurant-quality taste, simple ingredients, and no seed oils.”

How about protein? In another on-trend move, Idahoan Foods LLC, Idaho Fall, Idaho, introduced +PROTEIN™ Mashed Potatoes in four varieties: Buttery Homestyle, Loaded Baked, Garlic, and Buttery Homestyle Fried Chicken Recipe. Each delivers 6g of protein per serving and 24g per 4.6oz pouch.

Taking macaroni and cheese in new directions were processors including Bob Evans Farms Inc., New Albany, Ohio; and The Kraft-Heinz Company. Last fall saw Bob Evans introduce a limited-edition refrigerated Bacon Macaroni & Cheese. Kraft-Heinz also had fun with a seasonal Apple Pie flavored Kraft Mac & Cheese.

Speaking of flavor, trend data told Conagra that butter is the No. 1 at-home sauce addition to frozen veggies; and on restaurant menus vegetables are paired with cheese 40% of the time. Officials said these trends inspired last year’s new line of Birds Eye Ultimate Cheesy & Buttery Vegetables, a collection of four fan-favorite veggies “smothered in Birds Eye's most flavorful and indulgent sauces ever.” New varieties included Ultimate Butter Sauced Corn and Ultimate Butter Sauced Green Beans. Conagra gave the Ultimate Cheesy treatment to Broccoli Florets as well as a California Blend of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. In other news, Conagra extended its all natural, chef-inspired Alexia brand with a Broccoli & Aged Cheddar item featuring broccoli florets covered with a creamy aged white cheddar cheese sauce. A 14oz bag retails for $4.49.

Other new vegetable offerings included Corn Cob Pinwheels from Lakeside Foods Inc., Manitowoc, Wis.; and Know & Love Cauliflower Tater Tots, a PLMA Salute to Excellence Award winner from Southeastern Grocers.

Last but not least, other processors delivered fresh takes on vegetables in the produce section. Last spring saw Fresh Express Inc., Salinas, Calif., introduce three Chopped Salad Kits with on-trend dressings and toppings. Just one example is Creamy Goddess, which includes queso fresco, roasted salted pumpkin seeds, freeze-dried corn and creamy cilantro cotija dressing. Shortly after its early August purchase by Arable Capital Partners (organicgirl LLC), Dole Fresh Vegetables/Bud Antle introduced three new DOLE offerings including Caprese and Pesto Ranch Chopped Salad Kits; and an Apple Harvest Premium Salad Kit.