Food company Nestlé has announced plans to launch a line of frozen meals made especially for people taking a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, which includes diabetes and anti-obesity medications Ozempic and Wegovy.

The new line, called Vital Pursuit, is intended to be “a companion for GLP-1 weight loss medication users and consumers focused on weight management,” Nestlé said in a press release. Vital Pursuit is slated to launch this fall.

According to the company, Vital Pursuit meals are high in protein, a good source of fiber, contain essential nutrients, and “are portion-aligned to a weight loss medication user’s appetite.”

Planning for meals is important for people taking GLP-1 drugs because a user’s appetite is often reduced, John Batsis, MD, an associate professor in the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Public Health, told Verywell. That’s because the drugs work by slowing the movement of food from the stomach into the small intestine, which makes patients feel full faster and longer.

The suggested cost of the Vital Pursuit meals will be $4.99 or less. Food options will include grain and protein pasta bowls, sandwich melts, and pizza. There’s no information yet regarding which ingredients and additives will be included, such as sodium and fat, or how much protein a meal will contain.]

“Until you see the formulation of the meals, who knows if a provider would recommend them as part of a healthy food plan?” Amy Keating, RD, program leader for the Food Safety and Nutrition Group at Consumer Reports, told Verywell.   

Incorporating protein in Vital Pursuit meals—and in all diets consumed by people trying to lose weight—is important to help protect against loss of muscle mass. When people who lose weight lose too much muscle, they may be at risk for fractures, Batsis said.

Caroline Susie, RDN, who leads the Nutrition and Weight Management team at global health consulting firm Mercer and is a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said GLP-1 users should consult both their physician and a dietitian if they are on the medication to be sure they are getting the right level of nutrients. Batsis also recommends reaching out to an exercise specialist for advice on strength training to help bones stay strong.

The frozen meals may work for some. “A frozen meal can offer the benefit of portion control…[which] can significantly reduce the challenges of cooking and meal planning, providing a practical solution for individuals,” Vijaya Surampudi, MD, associate director of the UCLA Medical Weight Management Clinic, told Verywell. “But frozen meals would be considered processed and may have sauces and sugars. Ideally, one would prepare meals so they would have control over what is added to them.”

Anastasiya Shor, PharmD, director of the Drug Information Center at the Touro College of Pharmacy in New York City, told Verywell that a key concern for her about the frozen meals is that they don’t help prepare GLP-1 users to continue effective weight management should the drugs become temporarily or permanently unavailable. Side effects such as severe vomiting or diarrhea have prompted some users to get off the drugs, as have supply shortages and affordability issues.

“If you are losing weight on the drugs but you change nothing else, if there comes a time the drugs are not available for any reason, you will gain the weight back because your appetite is no longer reined in and you are not used to making healthy food choices,” Shor said.

Consumers should keep in mind that Nestlé’s decision to introduce the foods could be in response to sales concerns. A survey published in late 2023 found that people taking GLP-1s had reduced their spending on groceries. “Is the company worrying about a decrease in market size and responding with an attempt to get an increase in market share?” wonders Peter Lurie, MD, MPH, president and executive director of the nonprofit CScience in the Public Interest.