CHICAGO - General Mills Inc., Golden Valley, unveiled about two dozen new products for the carb-conscious and time-pressed consumer at the Food Marketing Institute Show in Chicago on Sunday.

Making good on CEO Stephen Sanger's promise that General Mills would get better at catering to consumers' changing buying habits, the new products include pourable frosting and low-carb soup.

Analysts have attributed the company's stagnant earnings to General Mills' delayed entry into the low-carb market. The company's earnings for the third quarter ended Feb. 22 were $242 million or 63 cents a share, essentially flat compared to the previous year and short of Wall Street expectations.

General Mills' new low-carb items include: Hamburger Helper Carb Monitor Cheeseburger Macaroni; Betty Crocker Carb Monitor Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Carb Monitor Frozen Dinner Rolls.

New products designed for consumers seeking convenience include: Betty Crocker Pour & Frost pourable frosting; Slow Cooker Helper, a slow cooker meal that takes 5 minutes to prepare; and Old El Paso Stand N' Stuff Tacos, taco shells that stand on their own for easy filling.

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