Since Hispanics currently represent 16 percent of the total U.S. population, have a predominately larger household, and spend more money on groceries than non-Hispanic households, it is crucial that marketers understand the role that food plays in the lives of Latinas.

To gain a deeper insight into the changing food consumption behaviors in the Latina marketplace, the research department at Meredith Hispanic Ventures tapped into their "Entre Nosotras" ("Between Us") database of 5,000 subscribers to conduct a food trend report, part of a series of trend reports to be rolled out by Meredith Hispanic Ventures throughout 2013 and 2014.

"The trend report clearly shows that the Hispanic consumer has a diverse palette, yet many food manufacturers don't think to target this growing segment with their product offerings," states Enedina Vega-Amaez, vice president/publisher Meredith Hispanic Ventures. "They are missing an opportunity to connect with a potentially high consuming, loyal customer."

Among the survey's key findings:

Nutrition matters to Latinas, with nearly four in five respondents reading nutrition labels. Hispanics care about purchasing foods low in fat, high in fiber, and low in sugar; and more than half of respondents buy organic products.

Latinas said they are not only shopping the Hispanic aisle -- they have eclectic palettes and enjoy cooking a wide variety of foods. These aspiring epicureans want to learn more about global cuisines, and they continue to seek samples and coupons to learn about new products.