1.
MEAL PREP IN AMERICA:
Changes in the Meal Preparation Habits and
Practices of HomeTrend Influentials
A.J. Riedel, Sr. Partner
(602)840-4948
ajr@4rmg.com
www.4rmg.com
www.twitter.com/AJRat4RMG
http://www.linkedin.com/in/ajriedel

2.
Background
 This report answers these questions:
– What major changes are Americans making in the types of foods they
and their families are eating?
– What major changes are Americans making in the way they prepare
food?
– Are Americans spending more or less time preparing meals than they
were a year ago?
– Are they using their stovetops and ovens more or less often than they
did a year ago?
– Are Americans entertaining at home more or less often than they were
a year ago?
– Has the type of entertaining Americans are doing changed?
 An online survey was conducted among Riedel Marketing Group’s
proprietary HomeTrend Influentials Panel in July 2012.
 HomeTrend Influentials (HIPsters) pick up on new home-related
trends and embrace new home goods much sooner than the rest of
the U.S. population. As such, these influential consumers are the
bellwether for predicting changes in the behaviors, habits and
practices, and attitudes of mainstream Americans.

3.
The trend toward healthier eating habits shows
no sign of abating. HomeTrend Influentials
continue to make changes to the way they
prepare food.
Have you made any major changes in the Do you anticipate that you will be making
way you prepare food in the past year or any major changes in types of foods you
so? (and your family if you live in a household
100% with other people) will be eating in the
90%
next year or so?
80%
51% 51% 55%
70% 56%
60%
Yes
50% 32%
40%
30%
49% 49% 45%
20% 44%
No
10% 68%
0%
2012 2011 2010 2009
Yes No

4.
HIPsters continue to make changes in the type
of foods they eat because they want to eat
healthier, prevent health problems, and
establish healthy eating habits in their children.
What is the single most important reason why you have made major changes in the
types of foods you and your family are eating?
Other 8%
I want to have more control over what my family eats. 3%
I or someone else in my household has food allergies. 3%
I or someone else in my household is trying to lose weight. 3%
I have gone back to work or am working more hours and do not have as much time to cook
5%
as I used to.
I am trying to save money. 7%
I want my child/children to start learning healthy eating habits. 8%
I or someone else in my household has a health problem such as high cholesterol, high blood
8%
pressure, diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, or a heart condition that requires me to make…
I want to prevent health problems in the future by changing the way I eat now. 13%
I am making a conscious effort to limit my exposure to things like pesticides, hormones, and
18%
antibiotics, as well as trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup, and preservatives that are…
I want to eat healthier. 23%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

5.
They are preparing more fresh fruits and
vegetables, healthier, and organic foods and
are replacing processed packaged foods with
fresh foods.
What types of changes have you made?
Other 14%
More low calorie foods 27%
I try to buy packaged foods with fewer ingredients on the label 31%
More lower sodium foods 33%
Replaced packaged foods with fresh foods (e.g., used fresh tomatoes instead of spaghetti
39%
sauce)
More "all natural" meats (e.g., no hormones, free range, grass fed, etc.) 43%
More organic foods 51%
Less red meat and more fish and/or poultry 55%
More "all natural" foods without preservatives and/or artificial colors/flavors 71%
More fresh fruits and vegetables 80%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

6.
And they are using new types of cookware,
bakeware, kitchen tools/gadgets, and small
appliances that they were not using before.
Have you started using any new food prep products that you were not using a year ago?
(Nov. 2011)
No
37%
Yes
63%

7.
Although they are changing the types of foods
they are preparing, they are not changing their
cooking methods…
Are you using each of the following more often or less often than you did a year ago?
Use your toaster oven 13% 70% 17%
Use your microwave oven 6% 76% 18%
Use your conventional oven 18% 72% 9%
Use your stovetop 19% 76% 4%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
More often than a year ago About the same as a year ago Less often than a year ago

8.
… Nor are they changing the amount of time
they spend on food preparation.
Are you spending more time, less time or Looking ahead into next year, do you
about the same amount of time on food think you will be spending more or less
preparation than you were a year ago? time on food preparation than you do
now?
About the same amount of time 60%
No change 73%
Less time 15%
Less time than now 4%
More time 25% More time than now 22%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

9.
HIPsters who are spending more time on food
prep are preparing more fresh foods that
require more prep time and are cooking more
from scratch.
Why are you spending more time in food preparation?
Other 3%
My work situation has allowed me more time to cook 17%
My kids are older and now I have more time 13%
I want to cook more for my children/family because I want all of us to eat
53%
healthier
I am on a special diet that requires more attention to my food 13%
I am cooking from scratch more and it takes longer 67%
I am eating more fresh foods that take longer to prepare (i.e., wash, chop,
73%
etc.)
I/we are eating at home more because eating out is expensive 50%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

10.
Eating dinner together as a family is a long-
standing priority for the majority of HIPsters.
In a typical week, on how many days do Compared to a year ago, do all the
all the members of your household eat members of your household eat dinner
dinner together? together more often now or less often
now?
Every day 37%
No change 74%
Six days 13%
Five days 16%
Less often now 13%
Four days 14%
Three days 14%
More often now 12%
Less than three days 6%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

11.
Are you and your family eating
more fruits and vegetables than HIPsters are eating more
you did a couple of years ago? fruits and vegetables and
are buying more of their
No
28%
fresh produce from local
farms.
Yes
72% Do you shop at a local fruit/vegetable stand
or a farmer's market?
Are you shopping at a local
fruit/vegetable stand or a farmer's
market more often or less often than
you did a year or two ago?
No
28% About the same 55%
Less often 5%
Yes
72% More often 41%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
According to USDA-AMS Marketing Services Division, the number of operating farmers
markets has grown by 36% over the past few years.

12.
They are also growing (or planning to grow)
more of their own vegetables.
Did you or are you planning to plant a vegetable Do you have any interest in planting a vegetable
garden this year in your own backyard or in a garden in the future either in your own backyard
community garden? or in a community garden?
No
27%
Yes
47%
No
53%
Yes
73%

13.
What types of changes have you made?
A significant portion of
Other
More low calorie foods
14%
27%
HIPsters make it a
I try to buy packaged foods with fewer
ingredients on the label
31% priority to buy organic
More lower sodium foods
Replaced packaged foods with fresh
33%
39%
foods.
foods (e.g., used fresh tomatoes…
More "all natural" meats (e.g., no
43%
hormones, free range, grass fed, etc.)
More organic foods 51%
Less red meat and more fish and/or
55%
poultry
More "all natural" foods without
71%
preservatives and/or artificial…
More fresh fruits and vegetables 80% What is your level of agreement with this
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
statement: "It is a priority for me to buy
packaged foods labeled "organic" even if they
cost more money."
How much do you agree with this statement: "It
is a priority for me to buy fruits and vegetables Completely agree 8%
labeled "organic" even if they cost more money."
Somewhat agree 24%
Completely agree 10%
Neither agree nor disagree 28%
Somewhat agree 30%
Somewhat disagree 18%
Neither agree nor disagree 22%
Completely disagree 22%
Somewhat disagree 15%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Completely disagree 22%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

14.
Although most HIPsters prefer to cook “from
scratch”, many of them save time by using
“speed scratch” cooking techniques.
"Speed scratch" cooking involves using products that are aimed at saving the time or
effort normally required to prepare that meal from scratch. While the cook assembles the
ingredients, they may be pre-chopped, pre-mixed, pre-seasoned, etc.
Do you ever do "speed scratch" cooking? Are you doing "speed scratch" cooking
more or less often than you were a year
or two ago?
"speed scratch" cooking about the same
60%
amount
No
35%
"speed scratch" cooking less often 9%
Yes
65%
"speed scratch" cooking more often 31%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

15.
HIPsters tend to be informal in the type of
entertaining they do. When they entertain, they
serve a buffet style meal or do a barbecue.
What type of entertaining do you do MOST often?
Other 11%
Prepare a barbecue 30%
Serve a meal buffet style 39%
Serve a sit down or formal meal 21%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

16.
Most HIPsters have not changed the amount or
type of entertaining they are doing.
Are you entertaining at home more often, Has the type of entertaining (ie, sit down
less often or about the same number of or formal meal, barbecue, etc.) changed
times a month than you did a year ago? from the type of entertaining you did a
year ago?
About the same number of times 57%
Yes
16%
Less often 16%
More often 28% No
84%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

17.
About the HomeTrend Influentials Panel
 HomeTrend Influentials pick up on new home-related trends and embrace new home
goods much sooner than the rest of the U.S. population. (For example, as of June
2011, 76% of HIPsters own smart phones compared to an estimated 38% of the total
population.)
 If HIPsters embrace a new product, very likely it is going to be embraced by
mainstream Americans within a couple of years. If HIPsters reject a new product, very
likely the product is not going to be embraced by mainstream Americans either.
 HomeTrend Influentials are home owners who like their homes to look up-to-date and
like to keep their fingers on the pulse of what is new for the home. They are
constantly redecorating and making improvements to their homes. They enjoy talking
with their family, friends, and co-workers about what’s new for the home and they are
sought out by friends and family for advice on what to buy for their homes and what to
do to their homes. They are very active in community, civic, and political
activities. They readily try new food, household cleaning, laundry, and housewares
products that they see advertised or in stores and they eagerly recommend the
products that they really like to others.
 HomeTrend Influentials are well educated, articulate, insightful, and eager to share
their opinions with manufacturers. They are savvy consumers.
 HomeTrend Influentials participate in a variety of different research studies ranging
from e-mail surveys to in-home interviews to home-use tests to online click-through
surveys to focus groups, both traditional in-person and online.
http://www.4rmg.com/research-data-collection-and-analysis/hometrend-
influentials-panel/

18.
About Riedel Marketing Group
 In business since 1991, Riedel Marketing Group (RMG) is a trusted provider of
authoritative market and consumer intelligence on the U.S. home goods and
housewares industries.
 RMG helps housewares and home goods manufacturers make informed product and
marketing decisions that will lead to new product success.
 RMG is the only market research company that specializes exclusively in the
housewares industry.
 We have expertise in data collection and analysis.
– We have extensive experience with product concept tests, concept screening, market and
competitive assessments, home-use tests, and Internet-based research.
 We tell you what the data means and what to do as a result.
– We answer not just the “what” questions but also the “so what” (what are the ramifications of
the data) and “now what” (what do we do as a result of this study) questions.
 We have our own proprietary consumer panel.
– Our Market Research Online Community, the HomeTrend Influentials Panel, is a good
sample population because they are the bellwether for the mainstream population.
 We have a proven track record and satisfied clients.
– We been providing outstanding service to housewares manufacturers, industrial design
firms, inventors, and industry trade associations for over 22 years.

19.
About A.J. Riedel
A highly regarded marketing authority in the housewares
industry, the top forecaster of housewares trends, and an
advisor to many housewares companies.
AJ founded Riedel Marketing Group in 1991 to help
housewares manufacturers solve marketing problems and
develop strategies and plans to grow their business.
With over 25 years of marketing and market research
experience in total, A.J. has specialized in the housewares
and home goods industry for more than 20 years. Her
knowledge and understanding of the housewares industry
encompasses market dynamics, channels of distribution,
consumer behavior, and consumer trends.
After earning her MBA at UCLA, A.J. spent the early years of her marketing career in the
consumer package goods industry. She helped jump start Wheaties cereal sales at
General Mills, increased Grey Poupon sales at RJR Nabisco, and revitalized the air
cleaner business at Norelco/N.V. Philips.
Because of her extensive background marketing consumer products as a manager for
General Mills, RJR Nabisco, and Reebok, she is able to bring the tools and disciplines of
consumer package goods marketing to bear on the housewares industry.
A.J. has spoken at numerous industry functions and meetings and is the medias' "GO TO"
person for trends and insights in the housewares industry. She is frequently quoted in
national newspapers and magazines including the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles
Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Wall Street
Journal, and industry trade publications.