What/How America Eats Consumer Report 2022

This report provides comprehensive and current information and analysis of how Americans eat market research including market size, anticipated market forecast, relevant market segmentation, and industry trends for the What/How America Eats market in the US.

Current market landscape

As the COVID-19 dust settles, consumers are settling back into some old routines and some new ones. The pandemic provided an inadvertent impetus for responsible choices around food, including home cooking, healthy eating, and environmentally conscious habits, but 2022 also appears to be a year that embraces some indulgence, with consumers seeking to regain pleasure, enjoyment, ease, and fun in their lives and their food.

Future market trends in What/How America Eats

Even with a proclivity toward indulgence acceptance, consumers want to be eating healthier. So, while brands will do well to help consumers find joy through their products, going too far into misbehavior will push past pleasure onto guilt and disappointment. Promoting small treats and occasional delights, which include nourishing healthful options, will provide the balance consumers are looking for.

Balance appears to be the way forward near-term, with consumers pointing to natural ingredients and whole foods as the strongest components of a healthy diet (as opposed to restrictive cues, such as low calories, low fat). The trend of meat-free eating slowed a bit in 2022, with half of consumers indicating a balanced diet includes a mix of animal and plant proteins. Brands will do well to provide meat alternatives as options within a diet that also includes meat, and not primarily as meat replacements.

Rising food prices are a limitation to healthy eating for all, and regular eating for some. Consumers who identify as struggling financially exhibit a degree of food insecurity that brands must work to rectify, with fewer than half eating breakfast and/or lunch daily, and only three quarters eating dinner daily.

Read on to discover more about the What/How America Eats consumer market, read our Online Grocery Retailing – US – 2022, or take a look at our other Food research reports.

Quickly understand how America eats

• American dietary preferences.
• Meal and snack frequency.
• Meal and snack motivations.
• Preparation method by daypart.
• Factors important to food and drink choice.
• Attitudes toward cooking and eating.

Covered in this American eating habits report

Brands include: Snapchat, Allrecipes, Reggano, Yoplait, Stouffer’s, Pepsi, Choice Organics, Forager, Lipton, Bumble Bee.

Expert analysis from a specialist in the field

This report, written by Mimi Bonnett, a leading analyst in the Food and Drink sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to american diet market research, highlighting current trends and adding expert context to the numbers.

Two plus years into pandemic disruption, consumers are looking to reclaim pleasure and enjoyment. Food is a natural go-to for this, especially as price hikes temper spend in other categories. While 2022 is shaping up to be a year of some dietary indulgence, consumers continue to count healthy eating as a top priority. Brands that can help consumers feel like they’re treating themselves without going to extremes will resonate.

Mimi Bonnett
Senior Director, US Food and Drink