Jacksonville, Florida, USA-headquartered Acosta Sales & Marketing recently released The Evolution of Eating report. The published research explores shifts in American consumers’ eating habits over the years – from creating “hybrid homemade meals” to the rise of snacking – and provides guidance on how the food industry can best respond to these changes.
“The way our society views food has come a long way since the TV dinner heyday of the 1950s. From sharing recipes and photos of food on social media to a widespread fixation on healthy food and fads, we have seen a seismic shift in consumers’ attitudes,” said Colin Stewart, senior vice president of Acosta. “Eating has evolved right along with society, and consumer brands and retailers must consider the dynamics, demands and preferences of today’s modern family to deliver successful food and meal solutions.”
The Evolution of Eating report reveals (surprise, surprise!) that cooking from scratch is being replaced by new meal preparation options. Americans continue to turn to ready-to-eat and take-and-bake meal solutions and are cooking “hybrid homemade meals,” such as a grocery store rotisserie chicken with a salad-in-a-bag and homemade potatoes.
Nine out of 10 shoppers surveyed said they prefer eating at home (including cooking, bringing prepared items home or having food delivered). Of those, 61% cited comfort, 60% noted cost, and 59% cited convenience as the reasons for their preference.
Nearly half (46%) of those surveyed said they prepared meals at home over the past year. Millennials (persons born after 1980) edge out slightly higher at 48%. This age group, however, reported eating prepared foods from grocery stores at home at a much higher rate than total US diners (27% vs. 16%, respectively).
Eating habits vary across generations. All age groups prefer to eat at home, no matter the meal type. However, interesting generational differences abound.
Millennials reported enjoying cooking the most, while members of the so-called Silent Generation (born 1928 – 1945) were most likely to find cooking “a responsibility, not a pleasure.”
Millennials and those of Generation X (born 1965 – 1980) said they eat at least five meals a day, while Baby Boomers (born 1946 – 1964) and Silents said they eat less frequently.
Gen Xers did the most dinner planning, while Boomers did the most lunch planning. Silent shoppers did very little planning, regardless of meal type.
Health and wellness has a transformative impact on eating. Consumers are becoming even more educated about the connection between diet and wellness and are utilizing the information to transform their shopping and eating behaviors. Healthy eating continues to evolve and shows no waning interest as consumers seek a variety of ways, beyond traditional diets, to create plans that work for them.
The majority of shoppers (61%) ranked reading food labels as very important to their health and wellness concerns when they grocery shop.
More than half of shoppers reported trying to eat more fruits and vegetables in the past year, and there was increased interest in consuming more whole grains and buying foods with fewer preservatives.
The Evolution of Eating was compiled using research gathered by Acosta, as well as the full service sales and marketing company’s experience working with the nation’s largest CPG manufacturers and retailers. To access the full report, visit www.acosta.com/hottopicreports.
