Gen Z is reshaping the frozen food game… and they’re not settling for TV dinners. But while they’re hungry for health and convenience, there's a catch: the price tag. Can wellness-focused frozen meals stay accessible, or are they becoming a luxury in disguise? The hosts discuss, and also sample Korean-style hard seltzers, culturally-inspired craft sodas and a potentially game-changing brand of non-alcoholic spirits.
Show notes:
0:35: Voice Nail. A Notable List. Investors Here. Bites & Chews. So Long, Stouffer’s. Trash Panda. NA Negronis. – The hosts chat about disliking the sound of their own voices before spotlighting the release of the 2025 NOSH Notables list, which honors leaders and innovators in food. They also highlight the number of investors registered for Taste Radio’s Chicago Meetup, which takes place on August 14. Mike and John discuss standout finds from a recent UNFI show, including latke-inspired crisps, “baguette bites,” and low-sugar gummies. The hosts then turn their attention toward the growing trend of premium frozen meals and note the balance between health, convenience, and cost as a key consumer concern. They wrap up the show with a sampling of a hard seltzer made with fermented rice, a Twizzler-style candy brand, and a brand of alcohol alternatives that de-alcoholizes wine and spirits to create products that closely mimic whiskey, Campari, mezcal and more.
Brands in this episode: Hoste Cocktails, Chomps, Little Latke, YAW!, Happy Candy, Better Sour, Behave, Stouffer’s, Hungry Man, Vital Pursuit, Blue Zones Kitchen, Scott & Jon’s, Mason Dixie Foods, SWRL, Afro Pop, Froot Thief, Twizzlers, Undone Drinks, Campari, Aperol
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.