A study sponsored by the Honey Baked Ham company on meals consumed at home shows that there is considerable potential to increase the number of home meals. The study was conducted in mid-July by market research group One Poll surveying 2,000 U.S. residents over 18 years of age.
Jim Dinkins, CEO of the sponsoring company, stated “Our research shows that people today are only spending three dinners a week with their families, down from sharing four dinners in their youth. Preparing a family dinner is often viewed as a stressful event.” Restraints to family meals include difficulty in planning a menu and time required for preparation and clean up.
The results of the survey imply that providing convenience products could reduce the restraints of planning and preparation. Companies preparing and marketing food kits gained market penetration during the COVID period but the cost of meals and disposal of packaging appear to have limited the growth in this segment in 2022. Leading companies are posting losses and falling short of volume projections. It is anticipated that with escalation in restaurant prices and the costs of fuel, more families will eat at home, providing market demand for egg-based convenience products and prepared meals offered by supermarkets and for home delivery.