CHARLOTTE, NC - Following the immense planning and activity that went into cooking Thanksgiving dinner, there is no doubt that consumers would love a reprieve from time spent in the kitchen. Jumping in to offer a solution, Dole plc has rolled out its new healthy plant-based or lean protein single-pan fresh vegetable meals.
“Dole strives to always be at the forefront of food and culinary trends that can drive product innovation and exploration in the kitchen,” said Dole Director of Product Innovation Shannon Yamada. “Our new Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kits are the culmination of considerable research and trend analysis and allow us to deliver on exactly what consumers are looking for—great-tasting, convenient, one-pan healthy meal solutions. In addition to 20 ounces of fresh vegetables, consumers may add their favorite protein along with the delicious seasoning to easily create a personalized one-pan masterpiece for the family.”
Dole introduced the new lineup last week, shipping to retailers in select markets across the Eastern and Southeast United States, according to a press release. This new launch is one of the first catering to the growing demand for sheet pan meals, a trend that provides busy shoppers with a healthy, convenient solution when it comes to mealtime.
Combining fresh, ready-to-roast vegetables with perfectly paired seasonings which can be used on both the vegetables and consumers’ favorite protein of choice, shoppers can cook the meals on a conventional sheet pan to produce a restaurant-quality meal in minutes—not to mention they will only have one dish to clean up afterwards.
“Our new line adds three unique products that disrupt the refrigerated vegetable aisle,” added Yamada. “DOLE Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kits provide a fresh, flavorful solution for busy consumers who want to make healthy eating simple and enjoyable.”
The new value-added line’s flavors include:
- DOLE® Homestyle Roasted Herb Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kit – Whole baby carrots, mini red potatoes, green beans, and rosemary and thyme seasoning
- DOLE French Onion Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kit – Whole baby carrots, mini red potatoes, green beans, and onion, garlic, and parsley seasoning
- DOLE Lemon Parmesan Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kit – Whole baby carrots, mini red potatoes, broccoli florets, and garlic parmesan and lemon pepper parmesan cheese seasoning
Sheet pan meals have boomed in popularity over the past few years, with Pinterest data trends and searches for the category more than doubling over the past year. Google searches for sheet pan dinner recipes have also increased by more than 500 percent in the last five years, peaking at the start of 2021.
Due to this rising trend, DOLE Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kits evolved through extensive product development in the company’s research and testing environment. Through this meticulous process, specific ingredients, spices, and flavors were tested by culinary experts, including Melanie Marcus, Dole’s in-house Registered Dietitian and Nutrition and Health Communications Manager.
“The foundation of our Sheet Pan Meal Kits is a robust seasoning flavor that can spark creativity in the kitchen and allow for customization, based on the amount of seasoning you choose to use,” she explained. “In addition to lean proteins like chicken, turkey, and different varieties of seafood, this seasoning works equally well with tofu and legumes for a fully plant-based meal that tastes great.”
These new DOLE Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kits serve four and have a suggested retail price of $5.99. Currently, Dole’s product innovation team is hard at work developing additional flavors to add to the expanding line.
The three new products join 60 other Dole salad kits, salad mixes, and slaws, including its popular Chopped! and Premium salad kit lines and 15 ready-to-eat bowl salads, for a total of 78 product offerings and a plethora of eating experiences for your shoppers.
Well, I know what I’m having for dinner! Give your consumers the same sense of assurance by adding Dole’s latest lineup to your aisles.
