Regardless of what you call them - ready-to-eat, instant food mix, or heat-and-serve food - ready-to-eat meals are the most convenient food items on the market today. Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods are those foods that do not need any further processing. These meals are cleaned, cooked and packaged before they reach retail shelves. Some varieties might need to only be heated before they are ready for consumption. The shifting lifestyles of consumers are behind the growing demand for RTE foods.