Americans started to cook

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 by HUNTER, a leading food and beverage public relations and marketing communications consultancy 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.

For this study, 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.

The study 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%).

MMP
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