DeCA adds 15 more ‘Chef-Inspired’ Freedom’s Choice prepared foods to offer additional quick-to-eat meal options

FORT LEE, Va. - The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) added 15 more 'Chef-Inspired' Freedom's Choice prepared foods to its inventory, broadening quick-to-eat meal options for stateside commissary patrons.

The new prepared meals join the existing Chef-Inspired items the agency unveiled to patrons in October 2024, providing a more convenient option for those who want nutritious and cost-friendly alternatives to fast food, said Bonita Moffett, director of Sales, Fresh.

"Last year when we first added the Chef-Inspired items to our lineup of Commissary Store Brands, we started a journey to be the deli/bakery and prepared foods purveyor of choice for our customers," Moffett said. "We will always endeavor to offer a best-in-class stock assortment that delights our patrons and delivers savings. Our line of Freedom's Choice prepared foods does just that."

The new items are expected to remain at $5 for the 12-ounce, single serve meals. The family-sized sides will list at $9.49 and the Family-sized entrées $12.49. CONUS stores started offering the items in November.

The new line consists of the following products:

• New Single-Serve 12-ounce Meals: Homestyle Creamy Beef with Egg Noodles, Homestyle Chicken Marsala with Penne Pasta, Homestyle Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Tikka Masala (Indian Recipe) and Homestyle Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
• New "Healthier for You" options, 12-ounce Meals: Harvest Bowl (Mediterranean Style), Chickpea Chana Masala (Indian Recipe), Lemon Herb Chicken Grain Bowl
• New Family Sides: Homestyle Au Gratin Potatoes and Classic Macaroni & Cheese
• New 32-40-ounce Meals: Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Enchilada with Salsa Verde, Homestyle Lasagna with Beef Sauce, Creamy Chicken and Rice, and Creamy Seasonal Vegetable Lasagna

Stateside stores first added DeCA's Freedom's Choice ready-to-eat items in their Home Meal Replacement sections under signage saying "Chef-Inspired Meals" and "Ready in 5 Minutes or Less."

"Many of our customers are trying to balance their busy lifestyles with little time to prepare traditional meals at home," Moffett said. "We have viable precooked options that help our patrons save significantly at the register.

"If your time to cook is short, we encourage you to let Freedom's Choice make dinnertime easier with our "Chef-Inspired" prepared meals - they're ready in five minutes or less," she added.

-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees, disabled veterans and other authorized patrons and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which supports the costs of building, modernizing and sustaining commissary facilities. A core military family support element and valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America's military services and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.