Allrecipes Dec 2011 trendsnewsletter

The
Measuring Cup
What American Families
are Eating and Cooking
2011 InSIghTS & TrendS

Every cook relies on their community of suppliers and
sages to get their meals to the table. With new technolo-
gies bringing support systems to everyone’s fingertips, a
good portion of the queries, questions, and recipe sharing
have gravitated online. In October 2010, 71 million cooks
(1/3 of all internet users 18+ years of age) visited food
sites, consuming 1.2 billion pages of content and creating
a rich and diverse community resource.

As the #1 online food destination with more than 435
million annual visits, Allrecipes.com is uniquely positioned
to recognize the attitudes, behaviors and trends influenc-
ing the carts and kitchens of the American family. With a
mix of members that span age, cooking level and region,
Allrecipes’ active community offers key insights into the
current and emerging trends among home cooks from
coast-to-coast.

Here’s what we found to be the most compelling emerging
trends in 2010:

INSIGHT 1: Little Shop Around The Corner
These days, the typical % Of Home Cooks Shopping
grocery-shopping consumer At Local Venues Monthly
makes several stops when
they shop: the discount 27% Bakery
big box, the neighborhood
grocery store, and, with 27% Farmer’s Market
more frequency, the local
22% Fruit Stands
farmer’s market. Given the
growing loyalty to all items 20% Wine Shop
local, it’s time to welcome
back the butcher, the baker, 17% Butcher Shop
and the chocolate maker. While these artisan suppliers 12% Co-op Grocery
have already captured the hearts and minds of foodies,
now everyday folk are beginning to, once more, gravitate 9% Cheese Shop
to the locally-owned specialty shop. Good service, special
3% Chocolate Shop
orders and not only do you get to know the person behind
the counter, you really get to know your cuts of meat. Source: Allrecipes.com 2010 Food Trends Survey

Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup 2011 Insights & Trends 1

INSIGHT 2: The Pies have It
Move over fancy cupcake and make room for the humble surge in interest helped along by the appeal of other
pie. No matter how you slice it — berry or pumpkin, apple homey efforts such as canning, vegetable growing and
or shoofly, sweet or savory — pies are picking up in popu- apron wearing. Cakes are still being baked, and cupcakes
larity across all regions of the country. In 2010, page views frosted, but filling a pastry shell with fresh-bought ingre-
for pie and pie crust recipes were up more than 20% dients is, well, just like Mom used to say, easy as pie.
YOY. This is not only a seasonal happening, but a serious
When Making Pie, What Do You
Usually Use For The Crust?

 Frozen Or Refriger-
ated Roll-Out Dough
(39.3%)
 Make Your Own
(33.4%)
 Ready-Made In Tin
(9.6%)
 I Don’t Make Pies
(8.0%)
 Other (4.9%)

Source: Allrecipes.com 2010
Food Trends Survey

INSIGHT 3: Speed Scratch
Even with all that pie harm if the admirable goal is to bring together family and
baking going on, the ma- friends, spend a little less time prepping, and a little more
jority of consumers are time enjoying one another.
not making their crusts
from scratch but buying YOY Growth
2010 Speed Scratch Recipe Growth (PV/Recipe)
them from the grocery
store fridge or freezer All Convenience Food recipes 30%
case. Harried schedules, • Recipes Using Prepared Frosting 1025%
multiple commitments
and busy family lives • Recipes Using Refrigerated Biscuit Dough 239%
have created a need for • Recipes Using Cookie Mix 127%
cooking speed. Many • Recipes Using Pie Crust, Refrigerated/Frozen 105%
well-versed cooks would
• Recipes Using Snacks and Chips 97%
swear making home-
made pie crust is quick • Recipes Using Pudding and Pie Filling Mixes 70%
and easy, but the truth • Recipes Using Cake Mix 66%
is most household cooks • Recipes Using Baking Mix 65%
pride themselves on
• Recipes Using Dry Soup Mix & Canned Soup 26%
making daily “home-
cooked” meals equally • Recipes Using Dry Food Mix 5%
speedy as they are delicious. According to a fall 2010 • Recipes Using Pasta Sauce -13%
home cooks survey, 76% of home cooks are shaving time Source: Omniture, Allrecipes.com
and ingredients from meal preparation using pre-made
ingredients. Some might call it cheating, but what’s the


INSIGHT 4: Mobile Matters
Food trucks? Nope. Eating on the go? Nada. We’re talkin’ the wave of a finger. Phones are easily stored in apron
mobile apps for your appetizers, main course and dessert. pockets and laptops or tablets actually take up less coun-
Coupons, too. Mobile means in the kitchen, at the store, ter-top space than traditional cookbooks. The connected
and everywhere in between. Growing across all age cook has more recipe options within easy reach as the
groups, the consumer is searching for recipes, check- mobile device is fast becoming one of the most coveted
ing competitive pricing and making grocery lists with gadgets for the kitchen.

% Of Home cooks Using Mobile Find Create grocery Watch Cooking While Cooking
Devices For Meal Preparation recipes Shopping Lists Shopping Videos In Kitchen
Smart Phone 63% 60% 67% 9% 38%
Tablet 50% 61% 42% 23% 34%
Laptop Computer 96% 34% 5% 35% 54%
Desktop Computer 97% 32% 3% 32% 14%
Source: Allrecipes.com 2010 Food Trends Survey

INSIGHT 5: gotta have a gadget
Speaking of gadgets, the desires are becoming smaller,
literally. There is a major shift happening with the kitchen 2010 Top 10 Most Popular Kitchen Gadgets
wish list from craving restaurant-style high-end stoves to
other, more accessible, chef-like accoutrements. Meaning 1. Silicone Spatula Set 6. Salad Spinner
a microplane grater or mandoline is more than a fancy 2. digital Meat 7. Cake decorating Set
tool, it’s the beginning of a consumer’s creative cooking Thermometer 8. Bamboo Cutting
adventure. That cake-making set could be the start of a
3. Microplane grater Boards
whole new career. Gender plays a role here, too. The most
popular tool for men: the meat thermometer. The better 4. Mandoline 9. Candy Thermometer
to grrrrrill with! The favorite among women: colorful 5. Kitchen Scale 10. Apple Peeler
silicon spatula sets. Not only are they efficient, heat-resis- Source: Allrecipes.com 2010 Food Trends Survey
tant tools, they look pretty darn good, too.

INSIGHT 6: Veganomics
What’s been bad for the economy has been good for the
greenhouse and the self-effacing vegetable is an emerg-
ing star. As general interest in home-grown, organic and 1 2 3 4 5
heirloom vegetables continues to soar, this root-bound
revelation is not just about growing your own. It seems
consumers have taken a shine to veggie delights, and as Top 5 Motivations For Cutting Back On Meat
a result are consciously cutting back on eating meat, too. (% of respondents)
Even restaurants are getting into the act with popular
Meatless Monday offerings. The main consumer motiva- 1. Healthier (75%) 4. Better Recipes Available
tion is health, but the reality is: it’s good for the body, the For Meatless Meals
2. Cost (35%)
bank account and the environment. (25%)
3. Concern With Obesity
5. Environmental Impact
(32%)
(19%)


INSIGHT 7: Counter revolution
It’s an everyday struggle between life and prep as the 2010 YOY Pageview Growth For Meals Prepared
countertop is becoming the frontline in an ongoing battle Using Countertop Appliance
for kitchen real estate. Fighting for territory with the
stove top is the school science project, a multitude of -6% Indoor Grill
charging devices, the laptop, as well as the Panini maker,
waffle iron, baby meal maker, roaster, rice steamer, stand 9% Bread Machine
mixer and buffet serving tray. While adequate storage is 18% Microwave
always a struggle, it’s clear what gets used stays on top.
Which means that small cooking appliances, and their 31% Slow Cooker
ease of use, are overtaking the stove inch-by-inch and 43% Blender
dish-by-dish. Resistance is futile.
Source: Omniture, Allrecipes.com

INSIGHT 8: Beyond The Barbecue
One quick look at men’s most researched recipes speaks meaty volumes: Most Popular 2010
chicken wings, chili, burger and steaks. No great surprise the majority of their ManTestedRecipes.com Recipes
top choices are meant to be cooked over an outdoor open flame, which certain-
ly explains a passion for the meat thermometer (see Gotta Have a Gadget) but 1. Pick Me Up Pancakes From Scratch
also makes clear why many men 2. Tray’s Spicy Texas Chili
are the primary cook when the 3. Baked Blazing Hot Wings
family hosts a crowd. What is inter- 4. Da Best Chicken Wings
esting, however, is the continued
emergence of a crop of male cooks 5. Barbecued Chicken Wings
who actually feel just as com- 6. A Hick Burger Like No Other
fortable in the kitchen as behind 7. Tim’s Fantastic Rib Sauce
the barbecue — particularly the 8. My Dad’s Wings
20-somethings. Looks like years of
fending for themselves while Mom 9. Brandon’s Naked Buffalo Wings
was busy in the workforce has 10. Crispy Fried Chicken Wings
made them chef adept. Source: Omniture, ManTestedRecipes.com

INSIGHT 9: In The Spirit Top 5 Reasons
Consumers Drinking
More At Home
It can be safely said the economy is driving consumers to
drink — at home. Wine, beer, and cocktails have become part of
1. Save Money (56%)
the make-it-yourself mix as hanging out at the house enjoying
an alcoholic beverage runs the gamut from simply sipping a
2. Entertaining More
glass of wine to attempting to recreate a memorable restau- At Home (22%)
rant cocktail experience. Granted, for those younger, a game
of beer pong is certainly less expensive than a night of drink- 3. Like Creating My Own
ing at a local hangout. But honestly, consumers are becoming Signature Cocktails (13%)
more discerning about what they choose to imbibe. Curiosity
4. Inspired By New Varieties
about wine, home microbrews and clever cocktails provide
Of Liquor (12%)
the inspiration. Sharing it all with friends: price (is) less.
5. Recreating Restaurant
Experience At Home (11%)



INSIGHT 10: Sit down And Stay Awhile
Entertaining with a little help from some friends — better Home Entertaining Format Popularity
known as the potluck — is not going away anytime soon. (% of home cooks)
At the other end of the hosting spectrum, serving guests
a formal sit-down dinner is still holding on as the most  Monthly  Special Occasions
popular form of special occasion celebration, Emerging
in between is a fashionable blend of the two worlds: the Casual Sit- 53%
casual sit-down dinner. This isn’t about pizza on the couch, Down Dinner 27%
it’s more like a semi-formal dining affair. Guests arrive in
casual attire, appetizers are most likely store-bought, the Appetizers 20%
main course is fresh-baked lasagna served with a respect- & Mingle 39%
able but inexpensive Italian Red. The goal is an evening
well-spent, not a spendy evening. 17%
Potluck
35%

14%
Buffet
44%

Formal Sit- 10%
Down Dinner 49%


INSIGHT 11: The real Melting Pot
The search for recipes is all over the map — culturally
speaking. As the popularity of items like bok choy and
tamales demonstrate, food is helping diverse cultures find
a route to mainstream understanding as cultural cuisine
can often awake a sleeping palate. The next big step is
watching the at-home cook intermingle seemingly dispa-
rate ethnic fare in order to capture the cultural blend of
couples and relatives that make up the modern family.
When it comes to embracing diverse family traditions,
tamales served with turkey is great start to giving every-
one a seat at the global table.

Allrecipes.com 2010 Fastest Growing Ethnic 41%
38%
36%
Cuisines (YOY % Growth Ethnic Recipe PVs)
28%
23% 23%
17%
14% 14% 15%

Indian Mexican Italian Polish French Spanish Chinese Korean Japanese South
American
Source: Omniture, Allrecipes.com


BONUS: To Your health About Allrecipes.com
And finally, as the New Year resolu- Allrecipes, the world’s largest food
tions begin to form, healthy eating site, receives 435 million annual
is always at the top of everyone’s visits from home cooks who dis-
list. But there’s a new eating attitude cover and share food experiences
through recipes, reviews, photos,
we’re keeping an eye on. Tiring of
profiles, and blog posts. For 14 years,
wacky and weird diets, it appears the the Seattle-based site has served as
road to health is becoming paved a dynamic, indispensable resource
with good eating intentions rather for cooks of all skill levels seeking
than bizarre diet interventions. 85% trusted recipes, entertaining ideas,
of home cooks feel they made better everyday and holiday meal solu-
food choices in 2010 vs. the previous tions and practical cooking tips. All-
year. Top dietary changes include recipes has 16 international sites
eating more fruits and vegetables, around the world providing insights
into the kitchens and cooking pas-
reducing consumption of processed
sions of home cooks everywhere.
foods and using of healthier oils and Allrecipes is part of Lifestyle Com-
fats for meal preparation. From all of munities @ RDA, a division of The
us, wishing you a happy and healthy Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.
new year. For additional information regard-
ing Allrecipes, please visit www.all-
recipes.com.
What Changes Did You Make In 2010
(Vs. Previous Year) To Improve Your Family’s Diet? About Robin Avni
More Fruits And Veggies 86.0% Robin Avni is the founder and prin-
cipal of robinavni | lifestyle top-
ics, insights + trends, an indepen-
Less Meat 32.8% dent consultancy specializing in
consumer insights, cultural-trend
analysis and content development
Organic 24.7% for the lifestyle marketplace. A re-
spected national lifestyle expert,
Robin has applied her timely in-
Less Processed Foods 62.6% sights to Fortune 1000 companies,
national advertising agencies and
award-winning media properties to
Whole Foods 30.4% create a compelling portrait of the
lifestyle trends and cultural forces
that are shaping the mindset and
Smaller Portions 54.0% purchasing behavior of today’s con-
sumer. She is a featured speaker at
Better Preparations/Cooking Methods corporate and industry events and
58.1%
(e.g. Less Frying, Etc.) a contributing columnist for WGSN,
a global trend forecaster. For ad-
Healthy Oils and Fats (e.g. Olive Oil, Avocado, Etc.) 63.4% ditional information, please visit
www.robinavni.com.

Eating
21.9%
Low Carb

Source: Allrecipes.com 2010 Food Trends Survey Please Contact:
Stephanie Robinett
Director, Communications
The Measuring Cup report is derived by analyzing the site behaviors and search 206.708.9271
data from over 435 million annual visits to Allrecipes.com, along with survey data stephanier@allrecipes.com
from Allrecipes’ online surveys. This report was co-authored by Allrecipes.com and
Robin Avni, consumer insight and lifestyle trends specialist.


Allrecipes Dec 2011 trendsnewsletter

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