Whether subconscious or not, we all have preconceived ideas of the foods we expect different people to enjoy
Food Preferences: A Generational Shift
Our research highlighted that those aged 65 and over are likely to have never tried TikTok favourites like pasta chips and butter boards. Those in the 65+ category are also the least likely age group to have tried bao buns and burritos. Instead, the older age ranges were more experimental with the likes of pizza, tacos, kebabs, hummus and instant noodles.
Interestingly, 92% of those aged 65+ said that they have tried pizza, compared to over half (53%) of 25-34 year olds and over a third of 18-24 year olds claiming they have never tried pizza.
Where Do We Eat?
Where we eat our food is also changing. Our data revealed that almost half (48%) of Brits eat their evening meal on the sofa in front of the TV, and less than a third (29%) say they eat their evening meal around a table. Others informed us that they eat their dinner at work, at a computer desk or in an outhouse.Busy millennials appear to be eating dinner on-the-go more often, with just shy of one in seven (13%) 25-34 year olds saying that they eat their evening meal on their commute to or from work. Whereas, one in 20 Gen Zs admitted to eating their evening meal in bed.
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Recipe Inspiration - Where's the Go-To?
When it gets to dinner time, whether you’re in need of some food inspiration or cheap meal ideas, different people take to different platforms for their recipe inspiration.Our research found that more than two fifths of Brits still use recipe books and TV / cooking programmes for inspiration for recipes and meal ideas. Over a third (35%) get their recipes from family and friends. As for social media, just shy of one in six (15%) Brits get inspiration from Facebook, and one in 10 (9%) get recipes and meal ideas from TikTok.
The data highlights that TikTok and Instagram play a greater role in inspiring meals and recipes for 18-24 year olds, with just under a quarter of 18-24 year olds saying they use the two apps for inspiration, compared to older adults who don’t tend to gravitate towards social media for food inspiration.
A 55 - 64 year old female from London explained “I just look at what’s in the veg box and make it up with my prior experience”, and similarly, a 45 - 54 year old male from Liverpool explained “I just look in the fridge and decide from there”.
Appliances and Utensils Used To Cook
Those aged 65 are the most well-equipped when it comes to cooking in their own homes, as this is the generation most likely to have an extensive collection of kitchen equipment and utensils. Our research showed that their kitchens are more likely to be filled with ‘classic’ kitchen apparatus, such as tea strainers, butter dishes, gravy boats and tea pots - all of which are least likely to be found in a 25 - 34 year old’s kitchen.
Interestingly, the data highlighted some kitchen utensils which could be at risk of dying out, with salad spinners, spiralisers and egg timers being the least likely items to be found in an 18 - 24 year old’s kitchen.
The 10 Least Likely Kitchen Appliances to Find in Gen Z’s Kitchens:
- Spiraliser
- Pasta maker
- Salad spinner
- Egg timer
- Kitchen aid
- Cafetiere / French press
- Pestle and mortar
- Tea strainer
- Egg poacher
- Butter dish
Picky Eaters and Trying New Foods
Are we born with our food likes and dislikes, do they develop over time or are they learnt from our parents and guardians? Our research looked into the parental impact on eating habits, and interestingly highlighted that the majority of Brits (64%) said they share a dislike for certain foods with their parents, suggesting there has been significant influence here. Anchovies are the top most disliked food amongst children and their parents at 21%, followed by sushi, celery and Brussels sprouts.Interestingly, the data suggests that this trend could shift over time. The amount of people suggesting that there are no foods that both them and their parents / guardians dislike is 13% for 18 - 24 year olds, steadily increasing until it reaches almost half for 45+ age groups.
This suggests that being a picky eater could be an inherited trait, which is even more reason why parents, especially of young children, should try to encourage them to eat healthy foods by setting a good example. Encouraging children to eat vegetables, fruit and other healthy foods can be difficult, especially if they’re a picky eater, but trying our tips and tricks on how to get kids to eat vegetables is a great place to start!
Expert Opinion from HelloFresh's Mimi Morley
HelloFresh’s Recipe Development Manager, Mimi Morley, commented: “This fascinating research into food preferences highlights just how similar we are to our parents, which is even more reason why parents, especially of young children, should try to encourage them to eat healthy foods and expand their palettes.Luckily, if you’re lacking healthy dinner ideas, there are many resources at your fingertips. Whether you look at recipe books, search social media, use recipe subscription services or utilise your imagination is totally down to personal preference.
Using a spiralizer is a great way to use up leftover vegetables, transforming them into a hearty meal with ease. For this reason I was surprised to see the data showing so few households owning one! I was also shocked at the data revealing so many younger generations having never tried pizza, as it’s one of my personal favourites!”
You can find out more about the food trends predicted to be big in 2023 and beyond here.