An apparatus (1) for distributing pre-packaged, frozen or heated food products (12), comprises a magazine (7) for containing said products (12), resting means (11) for said products (12) in said magazine (7), moving means (10, 16, 17) for moving said products (12) inside said magazine, extraction means (20, 23) for extracting said products (12) from said magazine(7), said moving means comprise actuating means (16, 17) arranged outside said magazine (7). A method for dispensing pre-packaged, frozen or heated products from an apparatus (1) that automatically distributes said products, comprise picking up said products from a magazine (7) of said apparatus (1) and sending said products to a dispending zone (4) of said apparatus (1), the method further comprises identifying each product inside said magazine (7) and determining the position of said product inside said magazine (7).