Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day nutritionally, but for food marketers, it is dinner. Americans choices about dinner — what to eat and where to shop — influence their other home-prepared meal decisions, according to Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council, citing statistics from NPD Group.
Breakfast
From cereal to baked goods to eggs, more than three quarters of breakfasts (76%) are eaten at home. The average breakfast takes 24 minutes: five minutes to prepare, slightly more than five minutes to cook, and 13 minutes to eat.
Americans are eating breakfast on the go more often than in previous years, and this is true both of breakfasts carried from home and bought at restaurants. Among consumers’ greatest concerns is a healthy breakfast (their concerns about healthy foods decline as the day goes on). “Better-for-you” products — such as hot cereals and yogurt — account for 50% of breakfasts and 27% of mid-morning snacks, and they are the fastest growing category.
Lunch
Americans eat lunch away from home most often, and their interest in finding healthy lunch options is growing. The average lunch takes 44 minutes: seven minutes to prepare, nine minutes to cook, and 28 minutes to eat.
Consumers want to cut down on the hassle and mess of making lunch at home, and many are turning to pre-made sandwiches. In fact, sales of frozen and ready-to-eat sandwiches have quadrupled in the past 25 years. Ham continues to be the most popular sandwich ingredient, but their choice of bread, cheese, and condiments change more frequently.
Dinner
The largest meal Americans eat is dinner, and it drives their choices of where to shop for all other meals as well. The average dinner takes 60 minutes: 11 minutes to prepare, 16 minutes to cook, 23 minutes to eat, and 11 minutes to clean up afterward.
They most commonly want a dinner that tastes good (45%), followed closely by one that is easy to get or prepare (42%) and will fill them up (40%). They also want something that requires little planning or thought (34%) and makes clean up quick and easy (32%).
Only 24% of consumers plan a complete meal before going shopping. Rather, most (57%) decide what to eat for dinner an hour before they want to eat.
The most common reason they cited for making a home cooked meal instead of eating out is the cost savings (59%). They also believe home cooked meals are better for them (34%) and that it is important to eat as a family (29%). Fewer than three in 10 (29%) choose to make meals at home because they like to cook. [Food/Beverages]
Sources: “Eating In,” Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council; www.ccrrc.org. Price: Available online at no charge.
NPD Group, Harry Balzer, VP, 900 W. Shore Rd., Port Washington, NY 11050; 516-625-0700; harry_balzer@npdgroup.com; www.npdgroup.com.
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