It appears to be official that convenience is now the primary factor in securing a larger portion of the average household food budget. A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has already indicated that 50% of consumers’ food spending is allocated to convenience items, emphasizing the growing significance of time in meal preparation. According to this report, 58.2% of adult Americans purchased prepared meals in the past week—not just millennials are contributing to these figures. The USDA-funded report highlights that households without children are reducing the time dedicated to meals, whereas individuals aged 65 and older spend 20% more time on eating and drinking compared to other demographics. Unsurprisingly, single-parent households spend the least time eating among all groups.
Despite spending less time at the table, it does not mean that people are consuming fewer meals. The study found that during a one-week period, American adults buy prepared food an average of 2.8 times. While millennials are indeed opting for more prepared food options than older generations, the rise in prepared food purchases has been observed across all age groups over the past decade. However, prepared food is not the sole answer to busy lifestyles. The study discovered that 68.6% of individuals primarily acquire their food through traditional grocery shopping. So, what are they purchasing? The answer likely lies in the growing popularity of grab-and-go bars and the revival of frozen foods. This year, the volume of frozen food sales saw its first growth in five years, according to a report from RBC Capital Markets cited by Market Watch, with much of this increase stemming from frozen meals and appetizers.
Meal kits are another avenue that companies are exploring. Recent internal research by Albertsons revealed that 80% of its customers express a desire for meal kits available in stores. In response to this trend, Quaker is venturing into the breakfast meal kit market through the refrigerated section, while Tyson Foods, Campbell Soup, and Hershey are also looking to enter this sector. According to Nielsen, in-store meal kits currently generate $154.6 million in sales and are expanding at a rapid rate—three times faster than other channels. The demand for speed in meal consumption seems to have evolved from a mere trend.
While there is still room for traditional ingredients and recipes, as life becomes more fast-paced, people are spending time elsewhere. Although companies may only be able to streamline their offerings to a certain extent while still delivering the nutritional value customers expect, if the trends from the study hold, the time spent eating while engaged in other activities will likely increase. In this context, food manufacturers might consider experimenting with convenient, mess-free nourishment options that incorporate elements like sprouts and calcium citrate to meet consumer demands.