Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Slight decline in share of Americans adults who are Cooking Enthusiasts
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- Figure 1: Share and approximate number of Cooking Enthusiasts, 2013-15
- Many moms are burnt out on cooking
- Relatively strong consumer confidence drives increased restaurant visits
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- Figure 2: Food sales at home and away from home, January 2003-August 2015
- Recipes continue to be a great source of ideas but are often too complicated
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- Figure 3: Attitudes toward trying new recipes, by all and Cooking Enthusiasts, September 2015
- The blurring line between meals and snacks could decrease cooking frequency
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- Figure 4: Alternatives to cooking – At least once a week, by all and Cooking Enthusiasts, September 2015
- The opportunities
- Offer learning opportunities, easy-to-make recipes to engage discouraged cooks
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- Figure 5: Important factors in recipe selection and attitudes toward recipes, by attitudes toward cooking, September 2015
- Target Millennials: Leverage the appeal of cultural flavors
- Partner with popular recipe websites and TV cooking shows
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- Figure 6: Top ways cooking skills were acquired, by all and Cooking Enthusiasts, September 2015
- Give consumers options in recipes
- Cooking as a way to bond; opportunity to target men
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- Figure 7: Frequency of, and attitudes toward cooking with children, by gender, September 2015
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Four in 10 are Cooking Enthusiasts
- Demographic shifts impact cooking habits
- Stable, growing economy alleviates pressure to cook for money savings
The Cooking Enthusiast Market
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- Overview of Cooking Enthusiasts
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- Figure 8: Estimated number of American adults aged 18+ by cooking segment, September 2015
- Slight decline in Cooking Enthusiasts
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- Figure 9: Share and approximate number of Cooking Enthusiasts, 2013-15
Cooking Segments
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- Cooking Enthusiasts
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- Figure 10: Profile of Cooking Enthusiasts, September 2015
- Unenthusiastic Cooks
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- Figure 11: Profile of Unenthusiastic Cooks, September 2015
- Infrequent Cooks
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- Figure 12: Profile of Infrequent Cooks, September 2015
- Conflicted Cooks
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- Figure 13: Profile of Conflicted Cooks, September 2015
- Non-Cooks
Market Factors
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- More people living alone
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- Figure 14: Share of households by number of persons per household, 1960-2013
- Aging population
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- Figure 15: US population by age, 2010-20 and share of Cooking Enthusiasts by age, September 2015
- Moms in the workforce
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- Figure 16: Labor force participation rate of mothers, by marital status and children’s age, 2013
- Improving economic conditions leads consumers to spend in restaurants
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- Figure 17: Consumer confidence and unemployment, 2000-15*
- Restaurant performance continues to show solid expansion
Cooking Trends – What You Need to Know
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- Ethnic, fresh, organic drive interest in cooking
- Less packaged meals, more cooking from scratch
- Fewer dinner parties, less cooking from scratch
- Making cooking from scratch easy: online tools for recipes/classes
Cooking Trends – What’s Cooking?
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- Two thirds prepare ethnic foods at least once a month
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- Figure 18: Frequency of cooking a dish from another culture, by Cooking Enthusiasts and Millennials, September 2015
- Fresh and organic ingredients enabling a more healthful diet
Cooking Trends – What’s Simmering Down?
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- Fewer cooking prepackaged box meals
- Traditional dinner parties declining; fewer people entertaining
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- Figure 19: Frequency of cooking a meal for nonhousehold members, by Cooking Enthusiasts and Millennials, September 2015
- The lines between meals and snacks are blurring
Cooking Trends – What’s Heating Up?
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- Millennials leading the trend in ingredient delivery services
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- Figure 20: Frequency of using an ingredient delivery service, by Cooking Enthusiasts and Millennials, September 2015
- Shoppable online recipes: Another name for online grocery shopping
- Advanced recipe-selection tools: Leveraging science to pair up ingredients
- Cooking instruction stays relevant through technology
- Cooking classes: A way to socialize without the cleanup
- The “uberization” of the home-cooked meal
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Demographics and lifestyle influence home-cooking trends
- Cooking from scratch fulfills a functional and emotional need
- Time, lack of planning, lack of creativity are hurdles to cooking
- Increased social consciousness and the desire for organic/fresh ingredients
Cooking Frequency, Enjoyment, Skills, Motivations
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- Cooking remains a popular, enjoyable activity for most
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- Figure 21: Cooking frequency, attitudes, skill level, and motivations, September 2015
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- Figure 22: Cooking frequency, attitudes, and skill level, and motivations, 2012-15
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- Figure 23: Cooked for fun in the past 12 months, 2010-15
- The kitchen: A place for both men and women
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- Figure 24: Cooking frequency, attitudes, skill level, and motivations, by gender, September 2015
- The idea of cooking evolves among younger generations
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- Figure 25: Cooking frequency, attitudes, skill level, and motivations, by age, September 2015
- Hispanics, Blacks represent important cooking groups
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- Figure 26: Cooking frequency, attitudes, skill level, and motivations, by race/Hispanic origin, September 2015
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- Figure 27: Frequency of cooking from scratch, by all and Hispanics, September and June 2015
- Figure 28: Hispanic Cooking Enthusiasts’ reasons for cooking, by level of acculturation, June 2015
Alternatives to Cooking
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- Eating leftovers ubiquitous; easier-to-cook dishes – a matter of choice
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- Figure 29: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of using alternatives to cooking, September 2015
- Demographics and lifestage influence preference for ease
- Cooking frequency, skill level impacts leftovers and preference for simpler meals
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- Figure 30: Alternatives to cooking – At least once a week, by cooking frequency and skills, September 2015
Acquisition of Cooking Skills
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- Most learn to cook from their parents, the more advanced seek other sources
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- Figure 31: How cooking skills were acquired, by all and Cooking Enthusiasts, September 2015
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- Figure 32: Correspondence analysis – How cooking skills were acquired, by cooking skills, September 2015
- Figure 33: How cooking skills were acquired, by cooking skills, September 2015
- Men look outside their family to acquire cooking skills
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- Figure 34: How Cooking Enthusiasts acquired cooking skills, by gender, September 2015
- Online sources key for younger cooks, TV shows still relevant for all
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- Figure 35: How Cooking Enthusiasts acquired cooking skills, by age, September 2015
- Black Cooking Enthusiasts learn from personal connections
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- Figure 36: How Cooking Enthusiasts acquired cooking skills, by race/Hispanic origin, September 2015
Recipe Sources
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- Technology influencing source of recipes
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- Figure 37: Sources for recipes cooked in past year, by all and Cooking Enthusiasts, September 2015
- Men are less active when looking for recipes
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- Figure 38: Cooking Enthusiasts’ sources for recipes cooked in past year, by gender, September 2015
- The internet age . . . does this mean the end of the cookbook?
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- Figure 39: Cooking Enthusiasts’ sources for recipes cooked in past year, by age, September 2015
- Social media as recipe source: Facebook reigns
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- Figure 40: Cooking Enthusiasts’ social media sources for recipes cooked in past year, September 2015
- Parents: Users of traditional and contemporary recipe sources
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- Figure 41: Cooking Enthusiasts’ sources for recipes cooked in past year, by gender/parent status, September 2015
- Opportunity to capture Hispanic and Black Cooking Enthusiasts
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- Figure 42: Cooking Enthusiasts’ sources for recipes cooked in past year, by race/Hispanic origin, September 2015
Factors Impacting Recipe Selection
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- Taste trumps practicality when choosing a recipe
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- Figure 43: Factors impacting Cooking Enthusiasts’ recipe selection, September 2015
- Coupons and sales resonate among Millennials
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- Figure 44: Factors impacting Cooking Enthusiasts’ recipe selection (any importance), by age, September 2015
- Millennials, Hispanics, urban, employed leading the delivery service trend
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- Figure 45: Uses an ingredient delivery service – At least once a week, by all and Cooking Enthusiasts, September 2015
- Parents need to please but keep the budget in mind
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- Figure 46: Factors impacting Cooking Enthusiasts’ recipe selection (any importance), by gender/parent status, September 2015
- For Blacks and Hispanics, practicality matters when choosing a recipe
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- Figure 47: Factors impacting Cooking Enthusiasts’ recipe selection (any importance), by race/Hispanic origin, September 2015
Attitudes toward Trying New Recipes
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- Cooking Enthusiasts feel trying new recipes is worth the time, even if they disappoint
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- Figure 48: Cooking Enthusiasts’ attitudes toward new recipes, September 2015
- Opportunity to please Millennials with new recipes
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- Figure 49: Cooking Enthusiasts’ attitudes toward new recipes (any agree), by age, September 2015
- Fathers: A key target to please when it comes to new recipes
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- Figure 50: Cooking Enthusiasts’ attitudes toward new recipes (any agree), by gender/parent status, September 2015
- Hispanics: Need a push to experiment with new recipes
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- Figure 51: Cooking Enthusiasts’ attitudes toward new recipes (any agree), by race/Hispanic origin, September 2015
- Cooking as identity for Millennials, Hispanics, and urban consumers
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- Figure 52: Cooks a dish from another culture – At least once a week, attitudes toward cooking, by all and Cooking Enthusiasts, September 2015
Meal Planning
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- Planners tend to be frequent cooks and use more recipe sources
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- Figure 53: Cooking Enthusiasts’ meal planning, September 2015
- Younger cooks: Last minute cooking more prevalent
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- Figure 54: Cooking Enthusiasts’ meal planning activities done at least once a week, by age, September 2015
- Parents have to plan ahead
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- Figure 55: Cooking Enthusiasts’ meal planning activities done at least once a week, by gender/parent status, September 2015
- Hispanic Cooking Enthusiasts less likely to plan
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- Figure 56: Cooking Enthusiasts’ meal planning activities done at least once a week, by race/Hispanic origin, September 2015
Cooking With Children and Partners
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- Cooking as a way to bond; opportunity to target parents
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- Figure 57: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of cooking with children and partners, September 2015
- Millennial men more likely to cook with children
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- Figure 58: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of cooking with children (at least once a week), by parents’ gender/age and age of children, September 2015
- Millennials breaking the mold when it comes to cooking
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- Figure 59: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of cooking with a partner (at least once a week), by age, September 2015
- Cooking with others: A way for Millennials to cope?
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- Figure 60: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of cooking with a partner (at least once a week), by gender and age, September 2015
- Hispanics: More likely to cook with a partner
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- Figure 61: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of cooking with children and partners (at least once a week), by race/ Hispanic origin, September 2015
Cooking For Others
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- Entertaining more common than cooking different meals for different members of the household
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- Figure 62: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of cooking for others, September 2015
- When it comes to cooking, Millennial men want to please others
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- Figure 63: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of cooking for others (at least once a week), by gender and age, September 2015
- Fatherhood positively impacts cooking for others
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- Figure 64: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of cooking for others (at least once a week), by gender/parent status, September 2015
- Blacks least likely to entertain or cook separate meals
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- Figure 65: Cooking Enthusiasts’ frequency of cooking for others (at least once a week), by race/Hispanic origin, September 2015
Attitudes toward Cooking for Others
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- Cooking for others but without the risk
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- Figure 66: Cooking Enthusiasts’ attitudes toward cooking for others, September 2015
- Millennials more willing to experiment when entertaining
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- Figure 67: Cooking Enthusiasts’ attitudes toward cooking for others (any agree), by gender and age, September 2015
- Fathers more adventurous when entertaining
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- Figure 68: Cooking Enthusiasts’ attitudes toward cooking for others (any agree), by gender/parent status, September 2015
- Blacks value appearances, Hispanics want to make something special
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- Figure 69: Cooking Enthusiasts’ attitudes toward cooking for others (any agree), by race/Hispanic origin, September 2015
Appendix: Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix: Qualitative Research
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