|
|
(HealthNewsDigest.com) – We are undergoing a seismic shift in the way American households operate. There is a new division of household chores. According to Food Marketing Institute’s 2015 Grocery Shopping Trends Report, over 70% of men say they are responsible for at least half of all the grocery shopping and the number of men who cook daily has tripled in the last 30 years. Where we buy food and the type of meals cooked for the family is being shifted off the foundation of mom shops and cooks, everyone sits down together for dinner, and everyone eats the same meal. This is the household that many of us grew up in and the trends say we are never going back.
Men in the grocery store add a new dynamic to food choices. Women take an inventory of what is on hand and usually make a list before shopping. Men just shop, rarely making any plan before hitting the supermarket. Women check flyers and use coupons. Men don’t, so they are less loyal to a local store. In fact, the number of households who say they have no primary food store goes up yearly and the number of people who rely on a traditional supermarket goes down each year. Supercenters, warehouse stores, and even the gas station and drugstore have become destinations for buying food. The average food shopping trip involves two or more stores and most families shop for food at five or more stores each month.
Spontaneous shopping trips go hand-in-hand with spontaneous meal planning and eating. Fifty percent of all eating occasions are snacks with little forethought. Over 60% of all meal choices are decided within an hour of eating. Forty-seven percent of all meals are eaten alone. Meal planning by making weekly menus, shopping for needed food, and cooking daily are a thing of the past, particularly in younger families. Fifty-five percent of all families report preparing multiple meals to cater to individual tastes. This explains why close to 80% of all meals include prepared foods – frozen-heat-serve, take-out, or pre-prepped items. The line between food service and retail food products is blurring and some trend watchers feel it will disappear in the future. This is obvious when you watch the growth of supermarket deli sections and salad and soup stations. Customers want convenience and stores are providing options.
Cost, convenience and taste were traditional drivers of food choices. Then consumers became more involved in choosing food that promoted overall health and wellness for themselves and their family. Today, these concerns are further layered by the value shopper. These grocery shoppers are less loyal to large food companies and traditional brands. Millennials are more likely to seek out smaller brands that are transparent about the source of ingredients and are attached to an ethical mission. Over 50% of shoppers consider one or more value factors when buying food – local ingredients, organic food, non-GMO, fair trade, humane treatment of animals, and safety of the environment.
Consumers are also self-defining wellness and customizing food choices to preferences or conditions. Over 30% of all grocery shoppers reported trying some type of specialized eating plan in the last 12 months – vegetarian, lactose-free, gluten-free, dairy-free or raw diets. Over half of all grocery shoppers said they noticed and used nutrition information while shopping to make healthier choices. Close to 95% have used the nutrition label and over 80% have looked at front-of-package nutrition information, but only 12% use shelf-labeling programs such as Guiding Stars or NuVal.
Nothing is more constant than change. The traditional supermarket and mom as the pantry-gatekeeper is becoming a thing of the past. Families are moving toward a shared model for food shopping and preparation. There is an ever growing diversification in the outlets where we buy food. Smaller brands are finding shelf space at stores and a company’s values are becoming part of their brand success. Most importantly, consumers are relying of themselves to interpret which foods and eating patterns they believe are best for themselves and their families.
If you are an ethical food shopper you may want to take a look at one of my latest eBooks, The Healthy Wholefoods Counter which guides you through planet-friendly eating in every aisle of the store.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books. Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter
Calorie Counter
Protein Counter
Healthy Wholefoods Counter
Complete Food Counter
Fat and Cholesterol Counter
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.
Who Does the Grocery Shopping At Your House?
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN, Food & Nutrition Columnist
We are undergoing a seismic shift in the way American households operate. There is a new division of household chores. According to Food Marketing Institute’s 2015 Grocery Shopping Trends Report, over 70% of men say they are responsible for at least half of all the grocery shopping and the number of men who cook daily has tripled in the last 30 years. Where we buy food and the type of meals cooked for the family is being shifted off the foundation of mom shops and cooks, everyone sits down together for dinner, and everyone eats the same meal. This is the household that many of us grew up in and the trends say we are never going back.
Men in the grocery store add a new dynamic to food choices. Women take an inventory of what is on hand and usually make a list before shopping. Men just shop, rarely making any plan before hitting the supermarket. Women check flyers and use coupons. Men don’t, so they are less loyal to a local store. In fact, the number of households who say they have no primary food store goes up yearly and the number of people who rely on a traditional supermarket goes down each year. Supercenters, warehouse stores, and even the gas station and drugstore have become destinations for buying food. The average food shopping trip involves two or more stores and most families shop for food at five or more stores each month.
Spontaneous shopping trips go hand-in-hand with spontaneous meal planning and eating. Fifty percent of all eating occasions are snacks with little forethought. Over 60% of all meal choices are decided within an hour of eating. Forty-seven percent of all meals are eaten alone. Meal planning by making weekly menus, shopping for needed food, and cooking daily are a thing of the past, particularly in younger families. Fifty-five percent of all families report preparing multiple meals to cater to individual tastes. This explains why close to 80% of all meals include prepared foods – frozen-heat-serve, take-out, or pre-prepped items. The line between food service and retail food products is blurring and some trend watchers feel it will disappear in the future. This is obvious when you watch the growth of supermarket deli sections and salad and soup stations. Customers want convenience and stores are providing options.
Cost, convenience and taste were traditional drivers of food choices. Then consumers became more involved in choosing food that promoted overall health and wellness for themselves and their family. Today, these concerns are further layered by the value shopper. These grocery shoppers are less loyal to large food companies and traditional brands. Millennials are more likely to seek out smaller brands that are transparent about the source of ingredients and are attached to an ethical mission. Over 50% of shoppers consider one or more value factors when buying food – local ingredients, organic food, non-GMO, fair trade, humane treatment of animals, and safety of the environment.
Consumers are also self-defining wellness and customizing food choices to preferences or conditions. Over 30% of all grocery shoppers reported trying some type of specialized eating plan in the last 12 months – vegetarian, lactose-free, gluten-free, dairy-free or raw diets. Over half of all grocery shoppers said they noticed and used nutrition information while shopping to make healthier choices. Close to 95% have used the nutrition label and over 80% have looked at front-of-package nutrition information, but only 12% use shelf-labeling programs such as Guiding Stars or NuVal.
Nothing is more constant than change. The traditional supermarket and mom as the pantry-gatekeeper is becoming a thing of the past. Families are moving toward a shared model for food shopping and preparation. There is an ever growing diversification in the outlets where we buy food. Smaller brands are finding shelf space at stores and a company’s values are becoming part of their brand success. Most importantly, consumers are relying of themselves to interpret which foods and eating patterns they believe are best for themselves and their families.
If you are an ethical food shopper you may want to take a look at one of my latest eBooks, The Healthy Wholefoods Counter which guides you through planet-friendly eating in every aisle of the store.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books. Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter
Calorie Counter
Protein Counter
Healthy Wholefoods Counter
Complete Food Counter
Fat and Cholesterol Counter
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.