At the Dining Table 2021: American Meals and Cooking
Meals in American households are woven into the cultural fabric of everyday life: They serve as a unifying experience shared by most, if not all, consumers. Societal shifts have resulted in major changes in how Americans prioritize not only their time for meals but also what they value in their food. The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has altered and accelerated these shifts.
“At the Dining Table 2021: American Meals and Cooking” takes stock of where two years of a national pandemic have left U.S. consumers amidst influences from ongoing changes in demographics, employment situations, food accessibility, and food values all of which have shaped how consumers approach meals and what they seek from mealtimes. The report provides in-depth analysis and thought-provoking insight backed by a range of data for startups, established companies, investors, and stakeholders across the food and beverage industry.
Published January 2022 | Report length: 110 pages | U.S. market coverage
- Executive summary
- General report (PowerPoint and PDF)
- Demographic data tables (Excel)
- Primary Quantitative Research: A nationally representative online survey of n=2,096 U.S. adults (aged 18–75), conducted November 3-21, 2021.
Results weighted to age, gender, division, income, race/ethnicity and presence of children to match the 2021 Census Bureau Current Population Survey.
Analysis of Hartman Group’s proprietary Eating Occasions Compass, a comprehensive database on American eating patterns, grounded in a complete enumeration of past-24-hour eating occasions, going back to 2012. This report features insights from this database on meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) occasions, with trends shown from 2019 where available.
- Primary Qualitative Research: 5-day asynchronous task assignment via specialized mobile app. Respondents received multiple tasks per day (video, text, and photo tasks) related to their attitudes and approaches to meal planning, procurement, and preparation.
Consumers also participated in 1-hour virtual interviews to contextualize assignment uploads and dig deeper into key topic areas.
- Methodology
- Executive Summary
- Chapter One: Meals Today
- Chapter Two: Mealtime Routines and Needs
- Chapter Three: Meal Planning
- Chapter Four: Meal Procuring
- Chapter Five: Meal Preparation
- Chapter Six: Dayparts in Focus
- Implications and Recommendations
- Ongoing, long-term macro changes that have shaped how consumers approach meals and what they seek from mealtimes
- Consumer archetypes bring to life how different consumers engage with food and reflect their priorities at mealtimes, and the opportunities for food and beverage brands
- Consumer approaches to meal planning, procurement and preparation
