October 18th is "Frozen Food Day" ~ Frozen Foods That Delight the Heart ~

On October 18th, the Japan Frozen Food Association held a PR event at the Royal Park Hotel in Chuo Ward, Tokyo. Under the slogan "Frozen Foods: Delicious for the Heart," the event communicated the "time savings" and "peace of mind" that the convenience and deliciousness of frozen foods provide.

October, often associated with the "season of appetite," connects to the "tou" (freeze) in "tōryōshokuhin" (frozen foods). Furthermore, since the standard storage temperature for frozen foods worldwide is set at -18°C or below, October 18th was designated "Frozen Food Day," celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

Following opening remarks by Chairman Shigeru Ito, talent Akiko Matsumoto and Hotel de Mikuni owner-chef Seizo Mikuni took the stage for a talk session sharing personal stories about frozen foods. Ms. Matsumoto, a mother of one, shared her experience as a homemaker actively using frozen foods: "I love vegetables and fish, but my husband and son adore meat, so I worry about them not getting enough vegetables. Plus, men can't wait at the table for more than five minutes for food to appear! That's when frozen foods really come in handy!" Mr. Mikuni, a member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee's Advisory Council, touched on the quality of today's frozen foods—their delicious taste and excellent nutritional balance—commenting, "The success of the 2020 Olympics would be impossible without frozen food technology. To secure three to four weeks' worth of vegetables during the hot August when the Olympics will be held, frozen foods are essential." Ms. Matsumoto demonstrated cooking her own frozen food recipe, "Housewives' Recommended: Super Easy Hamburger Steak with Vegetable Sauce," on stage. She also sampled Mr. Mikuni's "Western-Style Vegetable and Seafood Clam Chowder," expressing amazement at the high-quality taste that defied belief it was made from frozen ingredients.

In the second part, held at a separate venue, in addition to the above menu, they tasted "Easy Yogurt-Flavored Trifle with Frozen Fruit and Castella" devised by Mr. Mikuni, and "Green Smoothie with Grain Milk, Komatsuna Greens, and Matcha Flavor" prepared by Royal Park Hotel chefs. These 19 frozen food arrangement menus, which give a sense of "time to spare" and "peace of mind," were served buffet-style, delighting the invited general public.