Study shows home meals on rise - eating patterns in America - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

DSN Retailing Today, Nov 19, 2001

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.--A report on eating patterns in America from The NPD Group showed that after nearly a decade of declines in the number of meals Americans prepared at home, this number inched up last year for the first time since the recession of 1991/1992. While in-home meal preparation has declined 1% to 2% each year since 1987, the trend switched to 0.1% growth in 2000.

And, meals eaten in restaurants declined from 66 per person annually in 1999 to 64 in 2000. Americans also are ordering fewer takeout meals, now at 70 per year versus 73 in 1999. Last year, 11.5% of dinners prepared at home featured a frozen meal dish, up from 9.4% just four years ago. The study concluded food products that make meal preparation easier and less costly than restaurant meals made an impact with consumers. Other contributing factors include the economic downturn and the "cocooning" trend spawned by the terrorist attacks.