Meals that heat themselves are rolling out on New York grocery shelves – ideal for people who hate cooking.
The self-heating dinners turn steaming hot in about two minutes after their containers are activated with water. It’s a novel idea using safe, off-the-shelf technology.
While many try-anything foodies might be thrilled, other shoppers might be wary of food that heats itself.
The La Briute entrees – six in all from Euro-Cut Inc. in Lakewood, N.J., and costing $5.99 to $7.99 – look like frozen dinners, but don’t need any refrigeration, microwaving or hot ovens.
The sealed meal container is heated by a thermal reaction between two separate packets inside the box.
To heat the food, the sealed dinner container is first placed on a pad-like packet containing magnesium and iron that sits in a shallow tray.
Next, a packet of salt water that comes with the kit is opened and poured into the shallow tray where it’s soaked up by the minerals, triggering a billowing-steam reaction that quickly heats the food dish.
Temperatures reach 130 degrees Farenheit, so watch your fingers. Everything is sealed so that no water spills and accidentally sets off the heating process.
“This has amazing potential,” said Abe Halberstam, inventor of the self-heating meal and president of La Briute Meals.
“It’s perfect for harried office workers who can’t get out for a hot meal, or two-career couples who don’t have the time or desire to cook after a long day at work.”
The company also is marketing the meals to college dorms, outdoor enthusiasts such as skiers and hikers, law enforcement, and Port Authority bridge and tunnels operations.
The entrees include spaghetti and meatballs, cheese ravioli, and turkey breast and stuffing.