Prepared, refrigerated meals are picking up steam in private label.

Regular readers of my column might be thinking I have become a meteorologist. Last month I wrote about global warming, and this month I proclaim that it’s “time to chill.” But this isn’t a weather-based statement — it’s a suggestion that there might be something new gathering on the horizon.

I’ve just returned from a four-week “trend-spotting” jaunt around North America and Europe, taking a look at stores to see what was what; what is what; and what might be what.

I found that it might be time to chill here in North America. I’m referring to the idea of selling chilled rather than frozen ready-to-eat meals. Of course, everyone knows that the Brits have been going down this road for years. Now they’ve taken the concept to a new level with semi-prepared, mostly raw foods.

The products are amazingly innovative, consisting of items in all the major protein and vegetable combinations, with sauces, marinades, prepped side-dish components and suggested cooking methods. All the wannabe chef has to do is take it home and — in the words of Nike — “Just Do It.”

Home meal replacements in North America — typically a dried-out roast chicken sitting alone on a greasy tray — have floundered on the rough seas of retail. The new chilled range of products in Europe cry out to be taken home, treated with love (and a little heat), and placed on the ready plate of a hungry soul. But can it be done here in North America?

Well, Trader Joe’s has been doing this for years, and Tesco recently took it to a new level as well. Therefore, I’m sure many of our savvy retailers with serious constraints on frozen space will be looking eagerly at this concept too.

I am not sure how many “super-supper” type franchise operators are out there now, but I know for sure that there are tons of time-starved shoppers. (We shouldn’t tire of this group; they are here to stay.) This consumer group would be very pleased to provide their families with something a bit healthier than frozen lasagna or pizza.

So folks, let’s take a long, hard look at this concept and get ready to cook. And not just in the microwave — which is another sorry excuse for a meal.