Millennials Appreciate Variety When It Comes To Food

Better Homes & Gardens has announced findings from Better Homes & Gardens’ Food Factor 2018, a nationwide survey. The overarching finding for 2018 is that women, specifically millennial women, are more interested than ever in global flavors and foods. However, while their palettes are wide-ranging and international, there is an increased focus on sourcing ingredients locally, including their own backyards. Entertaining and eating at home is also on the rise, reinforcing the idea that local and intimate are important. Millennials want a connection to their food and to be involved in every step of the food journey – from plant to plate. Among the findings:

93% of millennials try new recipes every month
77% have an interest in experimenting with new foods.
80% of millennials say they like to cook new regional or ethnic foods
40% of millennial are cooking more regional and ethnic dishes than they were 2 years ago
32% of millennials have grown fruits, veggies or herbs in the past 12 months
24% plan to grow fruits, veggies or herbs in the next 12 months
55% of millennials are eating more locally grown or produced foods compared to two years ago
3 out of 5 millennials surveyed regularly buy local food
More than half of millennial respondents (62%) are eating at home more compared to two years ago
Nearly all millennials (93%) eat dinner at home at least four nights per week
93% of millennials love to entertain friends and family at home, hosting every 7 weeks on average.
86% say entertaining at home is a lot of fun – and better than meeting friends out.
This shift to more global flavors is now reflected in the ingredients they use on a regular basis. The study finds that common ingredients found on the pantry shelves of millennials now include:

Chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
Fish sauce
Hoisin
Tamari
Kimchi