Exhibit 2.2

                               AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO
                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

     This Amendment No. 1 to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 6,
2001 (the "AMENDMENT"), amends that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated
December 21, 2000 (the "MERGER AGREEMENT"), by and among M-Foods Holdings, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation ("HOLDINGS"), Michael Foods Acquisition Corp. (f/k/a
Protein Acquisition Corp.), a Minnesota corporation and a wholly owned
subsidiary of Holdings ("MERGER SUB") and Michael Foods, Inc., a Minnesota
corporation (the "COMPANY"). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise
defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement.

     WHEREAS, Holdings, Merger Sub and the Company have entered into the Merger
Agreement and mutually desire to amend the Merger Agreement as set forth herein.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
contained herein, the undersigned hereby agree as follows:

     1.   Amendment to Merger Agreement.

          A.   SECTION 6.3(b) shall be amended as follows: the phrase "the
               Company pays to Holdings the Termination Fee (as hereinafter
               defined) less any" shall be deleted and replaced with the phrase
               "the Company pays the Termination Fee (as hereinafter defined) in
               the manner described in SECTION 6.4(c) less any";

          B.   SECTION 6.4(b) shall be amended and restated in its entirety as
               follows:

               "(b) The Company shall (provided that neither Holdings nor Merger
               Sub is then in material breach of its obligations under this
               Agreement) (i) upon the termination of this Agreement pursuant to
               SECTION 6.1(d), promptly, but in no event later than two business
               days following written notice thereof, pay to Investors, Holdings
               and Merger Sub an aggregate amount equal to $5 million, such
               amount being distributed in full to Holdings, as disbursing
               agent, and allocated (x) to Holdings and Merger Sub for the
               out-of-pocket expenses and fees (including fees payable to banks,
               investment banking firms and other financial institutions, and
               their respective agents and counsel, and fees of counsel,
               accountants, financial printers, advisors, experts and
               consultants to Holdings and its affiliates) incurred by each
               (such amount to not exceed $5 million) and (y) to Investors to
               the extent of the excess, if any, of $5 million over the amount
               allocated to Holdings and Merger Sub pursuant to the preceding
               clause (x) or (ii) upon the termination of this Agreement
               pursuant to SECTION 6.2(b), promptly, but in no event later than
               two business days following written notice thereof, together with
               reasonable supporting documentation, reimburse Holdings and
               Merger Sub in an aggregate amount up



               to $2,500,000 for the out-of-pocket expenses and fees (including
               fees payable to banks, investment banking firms and other
               financial institutions, and their respective agents and counsel,
               and fees of counsel, accountants, financial printers, advisors,
               experts and consultants to Holdings and its affiliates) incurred
               by each, such amount being distributed in full to Holdings, as
               disbursing agent (either of the payments and allocations in
               clauses (i) or (ii) being referred to herein as the "EXPENSE
               PAYMENT"). It is understood that in the event a Termination Fee
               is paid, to the extent not previously paid, the Expense Payment
               shall not be paid."

          C.   SECTION 6.4(c) shall be amended and restated in its entirety as
               follows:

               "(c) In the event that this Agreement is terminated by Holdings
               pursuant to SECTION 6.2(a) or by the Company pursuant to SECTION
               6.3(b), the Company shall pay to Holdings, as disbursing agent,
               by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account
               designated by Holdings, on the next business day following such
               termination (or, in the case of a termination by the Company
               pursuant to SECTION 6.3(b), by wire transfer of immediately
               available funds to an account designated by Holdings,
               concurrently with the effectiveness of such termination), an
               aggregate amount equal to $20 million, such amount being
               allocated (x) to Holdings and Merger Sub for the out-of-pocket
               expenses and fees (including fees payable to banks, investment
               banking firms and other financial institutions, and their
               respective agents and counsel, and fees of counsel, accountants,
               financial printers, advisors, experts and consultants to Holdings
               and its affiliates) incurred by each (such amount to not exceed
               $20 million) and (y) to Investors to the extent of the excess, if
               any, of $20 million over the amount allocated to Holdings and
               Merger Sub pursuant to the preceding clause (x) (the payments and
               allocations under clauses (x) and (y) together, the "TERMINATION
               FEE"), less, any Expense Payment previously paid."

          D.   SECTION 6.4(d)(ii) shall be amended and restated in its entirety
               as follows:

               "(ii) thereafter, within 12 months of the date of such
               termination, the Company enters into a definitive agreement with
               respect to, or consummates, the Acquisition Proposal referred to
               in clause (i), or any proposal with respect to any of the
               transactions described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the
               definition of Acquisition Proposal (with all of the percentages
               included in the definition of such term raised to 50% for
               purposes of this definition); then, the Company shall pay to
               Holdings, as disbursing agent, concurrently with the earlier of
               the execution of such definitive agreement or the consummation of
               such Acquisition Proposal, an aggregate amount equal to the
               Termination Fee, less any Expense Payment previously paid."



          E.   SECTION 7.5(b) shall be amended as follows: the phrase "other
               than SECTION 4.7 (which is intended" shall be deleted and
               replaced with the phrase "other than SECTION 4.7 and SECTION 6.4
               (each of which is intended".

     2.   Continuing Effect. Except as provided in the foregoing SECTION 1 to
          this Amendment, this Amendment shall not constitute an amendment or
          waiver of any provision of the Merger Agreement, which shall continue
          and remain in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

     3.   Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed simultaneously in
          counterparts (including by means of telecopied signature pages), any
          one of which need not contain the signatures of more than one party,
          but all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the
          same Amendment.

     4.   Governing Law. This Amendment shall be governed and construed in
          accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota, without regard to
          the laws that might be applicable under conflicts of laws principles.

                          *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *



     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Holdings, Merger Sub and the Company have caused this
Amendment to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as
of the date first written above.


                    M-FOODS HOLDINGS, INC., a Delaware corporation

                    By:
                         ---------------------------------------
                         Name:
                         Title:


                    MICHAEL FOODS ACQUISITION CORP., a Minnesota corporation

                    By:
                         ---------------------------------------
                         Name:
                         Title:


                    MICHAEL FOODS, INC., a Minnesota corporation

                    By:
                         ---------------------------------------
                         Name:
                         Title: