Peapod introduces meals from well-known chef

Peapod Internet grocer with operations in Lake Zurich is bringing restaurant-caliber meals to customers.

Peapod announced it is introducing a collection of six ready-to-heat, healthy prepared meals by celebrated Chicago chef Michael Foley. The restaurant-caliber nutritious fare is exclusive to Peapod and available for delivery in the suburban market under the web grocer's Chef Express Smart Selections brand.

"Consumers are cutting back on visits to restaurants, but many simply don't have the time or energy to cook at home," says Peapod's Tony Stallone. "This new line of prepared meals from Chef Michael Foley allows our customers to enjoy the cost-savings and healthy aspects of eating at home but maintain the convenience and flavor of dining out at the same time."

The Peapod line of Chef Express Smart Selections prepared meals by Michael Foley include: sesame-crusted salmon with citrus mashed potatoes; pulled pork enchiladas; chicken breast with home-style bread dumplings; whole wheat linguine with butternut squash, pecorino and sage; Szechuan beef and vegetable stir fry and turkey meatloaf.

The prices range from $9.99 to $11.99 per meal and serves two to three people.

"The meals I developed for Peapod are based on my 'New Architecture of Food' philosophy, where food, flavor, nutrition and culture all come together," says Michael Foley, who was named "Top American Chef" by Food & Wine magazine. "Each of my Chef Express Smart Selections meals balances proteins with complex carbohydrates and combines a touch of olive oil with lots of herbs and spices to fill a need for customers whose lifestyles demand convenience, fresh flavors and smart nutrition."

For 25 years, Michael Foley served as executive chef and proprietor of the nationally recognized Printer's Row restaurant in Chicago.

Founded in 1989 as a smart shopping option for busy people, Peapod stands as the country's leading Internet grocer, serving 22 U.S. markets in communities in the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. The Skokie-based company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Ahold in The Netherlands, has achieved over 14 million deliveries since its late 1980s inception.