BOSTON - New data from Influence Central shows that 88% of consumers are cooking more meals at home in the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic with 49% making meals from scratch.
Only 5% of consumers are continuing to use mostly pre-cooked and packaged foods and 46% of consumers do a mix of made-from-scratch meals and pre-cooked/packaged meals. The report also found that over half of consumers are cooking out of what they already have stocked in their pantries and freezers and are reorganizing their food storage.
Over half of American consumers are trying out new recipes. Consumers consider their microwaves, toasters, coffeemakers, slow-cookers, cake pans, blenders and mixers valuable kitchen assets during the times of COVID-19.
Many consumers have also changed their eating habits over the last couple of months since more people have been staying home. Seventy percent of consumers say they are snacking and eating more, with 39% finding themselves eating a more balanced breakfast with more time on their hands.
Consumers are split on healthy and less healthy eating. Forty-three percent report eating more fruits, 42% report eating more vegetables and 30% are eating more protein. On the flip side, 47% of consumers are eating more sweets with 24% decreasing their vegetable intake, 21% eating less fruit and 19% eating less protein.