NEW YORK, April 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans
ordered to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic are being
forced to find new ways to fulfill their daily responsibilities and
occupy their free time. A new study released today offers a glimpse
at how the coronavirus crisis is impacting adult American
consumers' food preferences and behaviors, as well as the potential
for these new habits to result in lasting change.
Since 2003, HUNTER, a leading food and beverage public relations
and marketing communications consultancy, has commissioned an
annual Food News Study to identify the top food news stories
according to the opinions of Americans, as well as the impact of
these stories on their behavior and top sources for information
about food, recipes, and nutrition. For this Hunter Food
Study Special Report: America Gets Cooking, 1,005 American
adults were surveyed online and asked to compare their cooking and
eating habits now vs. prior to COVID-19, and share resulting
changes in their cooking confidence and enjoyment, ingredients,
recipe usage, food waste, and more.
Top findings include:
With Home Cooking and Baking on the Rise, Confidence
in the Kitchen and the Joy in Cooking Soar
The Hunter
Food Study Special Report: America Gets Cooking confirms
statistically that Americans are cooking and baking more now, with
over half of consumers reporting they are cooking more (54%), and
almost as many baking more (46%). While use of mail-ordered
prepared meals and meal kits (22%) and ordering takeout and
delivery (30%) are also increasing among some consumers, this is
being offset by decreases in these behaviors by others (38% and
28%, respectively). A total of three-quarters (75%) of all American
adults who are cooking more report that they are more confident in
the kitchen (50%) or learning more about cooking and starting to
build more confidence (26%). Not merely a chore, a total of 73% are
enjoying it more (35%) or as much as they did before (38%).
Americans Become More Adventurous and Creative in the
Kitchen
Many of those surveyed have discovered new
ingredients (38%) and new brands (45%) and are rediscovering
ingredients they have not used in a long time (24%). Meanwhile, the
consumers who claimed to be cooking more often are embracing these
new habits even more enthusiastically (44%, 50% and 28%,
respectively). Creativity abounds, with roughly one-third (34%) of
all adults searching for more recipes and meal prepping (31%). Top
recipes consumers are searching for are simple, practical meal
solutions (61%) and ways to use up current ingredients (60%),
although almost half of consumers are also looking for ways to cook
healthier (47%) and inspiration to try new foods (45%). More than
one-third (35%) of recipe users are searching for a cooking project
and inspiration to learn new techniques.
Households Are Wasting Less Food with Help From Recipes
Designed to Use Ingredients On Hand
The Hunter Food Study
Special Report: America Gets Cooking found that 57% of
Americans are wasting less food than before the coronavirus crisis,
with 60% of all adults polled reporting that they are looking for
recipes to use the ingredients they have on hand in their
pantry or refrigerator. And where are they finding these recipes?
Top sources include websites (66%), social media (58%), and family
and friends (52%), with Facebook leading the pack as the preferred
social platform for recipes, for all but Gen Z.
A Tale of Two Waistlines? Americans Split on Eating Healthier
and Eating More Indulgent and Comfort Foods
Almost identical
numbers of Americans are reporting that they are eating healthier
foods (39%) as those turning more to indulgent and comfort foods
(40%). Alcohol beverage consumption remains relatively the same,
with equal portions of consumers drinking more wine/beer/spirits
(29%) as drinking less (25%), and the majority holding steady (46%)
drinking the same amount as they were before the coronavirus
crisis. Those drinking more profile to 25-34 (33%) and in
higher-income households (38% in HH with an income of $100K). Meanwhile snacking throughout the day is
at an all-time high, especially in households with children, with
half (50%) reporting they are snacking more than before.
The New Normal: Cooking Practices Impacted Long
Term
Importantly, among the Americans who are cooking more,
more than half (51%) reported that they will continue to do so when
the coronavirus crisis comes to an end. Top motivators include:
cooking at home more often saves money (58%), cooking helps them to
eat healthier (52%), trying new recipes (50%), and they find
cooking relaxing (50%).
"The study results confirm many of our suspicions and certainly
corroborate many of the sales trends we are seeing in the
marketplace," states Heddy DeMaria,
chief insights officer at HUNTER. "We have long regarded Americans
as consummate optimists. When the going gets tough, they find a way
to prevail and in this case, they are choosing to redirect their
energy and creativity to the kitchen, not only finding joy in the
process of cooking, but also in the benefits that come from
it."
For the full Hunter Food Study Special Report: America
Gets Cooking and additional information about the annual
Hunter Food News Study, visit www.hunterpr.com/news.
ABOUT HUNTER
Founded in 1989, HUNTER is an award-winning consumer
marketing communications firm with primary offices in New York and London and a footprint across North America. Beginning with research-driven
consumer insights, HUNTER executes strategic, integrated programs
that build brand equity, increase engagement, and drive measurable
business results for consumer products and services. The 120-person
firm employs a powerful blend of marketing solutions including
strategic planning, social and digital media, talent and influencer
engagement, media relations, experiential, multicultural, and
content creation and distribution for all platforms and channels to
earn consumer attention on behalf of some of the world's best known
and most beloved brands. The agency is a member of MDC Partners
Inc. (NASDAQ: MDCA; TSX: MDZ.A).
ABOUT THE STUDY
The Hunter Food Study Special Report: America Gets Cooking
provides a comparative perspective on consumers' meal preparation
and consumption behaviors and attitudes now versus prior to the
coronavirus pandemic. HUNTER utilized the national panel and
insight platform, SUZY for this study. The study surveyed 1,005
Americans ages 18-73 years old via an online survey. The survey was
fielded on April 2, 2020 to a
national demographically and geographically-balanced sample, evenly
split between males and females.
Links:
Visit HUNTER for Study Results: www.hunterpr.com/news
Follow HUNTER on Facebook: @HunterPR
Follow HUNTER on Twitter: @hunterpr
Follow HUNTER on Instagram: @hunterprny
CONTACT:
Samara Farber Mormar
HUNTER:
smormar@hunterpr.com
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