CHAPTER 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Hot topic
The future decoded
Everyday meal occasions are still increasingly characterized by convenience
Consumers are increasingly keen to cook exciting, flavorful and interesting meals themselves
Cooking behaviors and attitudes are affected by the conflicting convenience, health and sensory mega-trends
Home cooking is emerging as a “status skill”
Cooking behavior is influenced by occasion
Lifestage has a direct impact on cooking behaviors and attitudes
Action points
CHAPTER 2 THE FUTURE DECODED
Introduction
Key findings
TREND: Everyday meal occasions continue to be increasingly characterized by convenience
The fragmentation of mealtimes continues to fuel the convenience trend
TREND: Cooking from scratch occasions will decrease under pressure from more convenient options
Consumers place meal preparation low in terms of prioritizing their free time
Cooking skills have been eroded, promoting convenience options
TREND: Consumers are however increasingly keen to cook exciting, flavorful and interesting meals themselves
The home remains the central location for mealtimes
Scratch-prepared meals are still the most common meal-type
Traditional cooking methods remain the most popular
Consumers are seeking more authentic foods and flavors
Home-cooked foods are a key source of comfort
Home-cooking can offer both economy and premiumization opportunities
At-home occasions are forecast to increase due to aging populations
TREND: Cooking behaviors and attitudes are affected by the conflicting convenience, health and sensory mega-trends
Consumers compromise between the three key mega-trends
Traditional mealtimes and food preparation choices are affected by reactions to stress
INSIGHT: Convenience is no longer a selling point on its own
INSIGHT: Home cooking is emerging as a “status skill”
The ability to home cook is increasingly valued based on its creativity, especially among younger consumers
INSIGHT: Cooking behavior is influenced by occasion
Entertaining at-home is widening in popularity
INSIGHT: The kitchen is the heart of the home
The kitchen is a key social location
INSIGHT: home hygiene influences meal preparation choices
Food hygiene concerns can act as a countertrend to home hygiene improvements
INSIGHT: Lifestage has a direct impact on cooking behaviors and attitudes
Cooking behavior variation by age group: gourmet versus quick-and-easy meals
Younger consumers are looking to cook more creatively, bucking usual stereotypes
Mid-lifers seek increased indulgence
Seniors balance convenience and comfort in their cooking
INSIGHT: Ethnic consumers spend more time on meals and cooking
Ethnic influences impact on mainstream cooking culture
INSIGHT: Cooking attitudes and behaviors show gender variation
Women are still the primary cooks despite the erosion of skills
Confidence in cooking skills varies with gender
INSIGHT: Household living arrangements have an impact on the propensity for cooking or convenience
INSIGHT: “Kitchen performance anxiety” is a negative consequence of the home-cooking trend
Conclusions
CHAPTER 3 ACTION POINTS
Assist consumers in acquiring status skills
Aid consumers in building confidence in the kitchen
Exploit the emergent meal assembly trend
Meal assembly can bridge key mega-trends
Develop crossover potential in convenience meal solutions
Develop more options for sharing
Pursue solutions that leverage the convenience needs of party hosts
Promote convenience options that target the differing comfort needs of consumers
Pursue convenience options that target traditional/home-cooked preferences
CHAPTER 4 APPENDIX
Supplementary data
At-home dinner occasions
Frequency of meal preparation by cooking method
Frequency of gourmet meal preparation by age group
Frequency of quick-and-easy meal preparation by age group
Prepared dinner occasions in Europe and the US
Definitions
Research methodology
Further readings
Report writing team
How to contact experts in your industry
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Number of skipped breakfast occasions per head, Europe and the US, 2006-2011
Table 2: Number of skipped lunch occasions per head, Europe and the US, 2006-2011
Table 3: Number of skipped dinner occasions per head, Europe and the US, 2006-2011
Table 4: Europe & US number of at-home dinner occasions (per head), by preparation type, 2006
Table 5: Europe & US forecast number of at-home dinner occasions (per head), by preparation type, 2011
Table 6: Europe & US growth in at-home dinner occasions (%), 2006-2011, by preparation type
Table 7: Europe & US share of dinners prepared at home versus out-of-home (%), 2006
Table 8: Ranking of cooking method by frequency, Europe and US
Table 9: Incidence of cooking type (%), Europe and US
Table 10: Europe & US number of at-home dinner occasions (millions), by preparation type, 2006
Table 11: Europe & US forecast number of at-home dinner occasions (millions), by preparation type, 2011
Table 12: Europe & US prepared dinners, by segment, per head, 2006
Table 13: Definitions of other terms
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Pressures on mealtimes motivate continuation of the convenience trend in cooking behaviors
Figure 2: At-home breakfasts fall as more occasions are missed or take place out-of-home
Figure 3: Lunches are meal occasion with the highest incidence of out-of-home consumption
Figure 4: Dinners remain predominantly at-home occasions but are under pressure
Figure 5: Microwaveable meals account for multiple occasions per week in both the US and Europe
Figure 6: Time intensive roasting and broiling are reserved for infrequent occasions
Figure 7: Consumers grill cook either very often or hardly ever
Figure 8: European and US consumers experience the same difficulties in scratch-preparing gourmet-style meals at home
Figure 9: Scratch-prepared meals account for the largest single shares of at-home dinners in both Europe and the US in 2006
Figure 10: Gourmet meals are prepared at home infrequently in the US and Europe
Figure 11: US and European consumers opt for convenient and quick meal options several times a week
Figure 12: US & European consumers aim to maximize healthy eating occasions
Figure 13: Convenience and mealtime fragmentation fuels the “top-up” shopping trend
Figure 14: Stress is a major factor responsible for convenience food sales along with busy lifestyles, but it also fuels an increased desire for comfort foods
Figure 15: Complete meal solutions can offer traditional comfort and convenience
Figure 16: The kitchen can influence consumers’ cooking behaviors
Figure 17: Younger consumers in the US prepare gourmet meals most frequently
Figure 18: UK propensity for gourmet meal preparation is lower across all age groups
Figure 19: French consumers, in contrast, cook more gourmet meals with age
Figure 20: Quick-and-easy meal preparation is more consistent across the age divide in the US
Figure 21: Younger UK consumers prepare the most quick-and-easy meals
Figure 22: French consumers prepare quick-and-easy meals very frequently
Figure 23: Female consumers prepare healthy meals more frequently than males
Figure 24: Microwave cooking incidence is closely comparable between males and females
Figure 25: Women are less likely to prepare gourmet meals than men
Figure 26: US and European female consumers also opt for quick meal options more regularly than men
Figure 27: A number of factors are responsible for driving convenient approaches to food preparation and undermining scratch-cooking
Figure 28: Old El Paso ‘Summer Sensations’ recipe book emphasizes the brand’s versatility and that creativity can be fun and easy
Figure 29: The meal assembly model allows close alignment between convenience and premium quality attributes
Figure 30: Variety packs for prepared meals may allow companies to tap into the emergent bulk-buying trend
Figure 31: Stop N Shop ‘Meals Made Easy’ sort their product range by convenience/skill level
Figure 32: Sharing is a key trend emerging in convenience meal options
Figure 33: Convenience and comfort can be married in ready meal offerings
Figure 34: Europe & US frequency of meal preparation involving baking
Figure 35: Europe & US frequency of meal preparation involving boiling
Figure 36: Europe & US frequency of meal preparation involving frying
Figure 37: Europe & US frequency of meal preparation involving roasting/broiling
Figure 38: Europe & US frequency of meal preparation involving grilling
Figure 39: Europe & US frequency of meal preparation involving steaming
Figure 40: Europe & US frequency of oven use
Figure 41: Europe & US frequency of meal preparation involving outdoor cooking
Figure 42: Germany: frequency of gourmet meal preparation, by age group, 2006 106
Figure 43: Italy: frequency of gourmet meal preparation, by age group, 2006
Figure 44: Italy: frequency of gourmet meal preparation, by age group, 2006
Figure 45: Netherlands: frequency of gourmet meal preparation, by age group, 2006
Figure 46: Spain: frequency of gourmet meal preparation, by age group, 2006
Figure 47: Sweden: frequency of gourmet meal preparation, by age group, 2006
Figure 48: Germany: frequency of quick-and-easy meal preparation, by age group, 2006
Figure 49: Italy: frequency of quick-and-easy meal preparation, by age group, 2006
Figure 50: Netherlands: frequency of quick-and-easy meal preparation, by age group, 2006
Figure 51: Spain: frequency of quick-and-easy meal preparation, by age group, 2006
Figure 52: Sweden: frequency of quick-and-easy meal preparation, by age group, 2006
