Japanese food is famous all over world. Everyone knows sushi, tempura and tofu. lot of Japanese food is so well presented it looks like art. It is therefore little surprising that Japan's "dish of year" for 2022 is frozen food. Each year, the Gurunavi Research Institute decides on winner for its culinary award. The prize is given to food that highlights trends in what people eat. Frozen food got prize in 2022 because of Coronavirus pandemic. Many people did not dine out at top restaurants. Instead, they stocked up on frozen food and ate at home. The winning frozen food was very basic - no examples of haute cuisine. The judges selected variety of frozen meat and pizzas - still in their air-tight bags.
Gurunavi said pandemic has resulted in food companies experimenting with different ways of freezing food. They want to make sure that frozen food tastes good, even after it thaws out. One of Japan's largest supermarkets has opened specialized food shop called @Frozen. It sells over 1,500 different frozen food items. Japan's convenience stores have expanded their frozen food sections, and frozen food vending machines are popping up everywhere. Some sell frozen sushi. Japan's Frozen Food Association said changing lifestyles have increased popularity of frozen food. Japan's population is aging, so many older people find frozen dishes more convenient than cooking from scratch.
