Two Truths and a Lie
Eating Healthy in America
According to Kantar's US MONITOR, food is an integral part of Americans’ routines and identities today. For starters (pun intended), the food and beverage space is rife with novelty. From Uber Eats to Beyond Meat, from McDonald's to The Modern, from gluten-free to freeganism, people have a multitude of options and opinions when it comes to what they eat and drink today.
At the core of this relationship with food is health. Whether eating at home or away, consumers are asking questions like: Is it healthier to avoid gluten? To cook at home? To eat less meat? While we’ll leave those answers to the food scientists, let’s explore what people think about the relationship between food and health in different scenarios, and why it matters to marketers.
The pandemic put the home at the center of people’s lives, and for more than half of Americans—and nearly all of those in our Foodies segment—the kitchen is at the center of the home.
Not only is food associated with comfort and security, but it’s also an important part of personal development for many, especially younger Americans and (unsurprisingly) Foodies.
There is research—some of which we’ve seen in our own MONITOR data—that identifies price as a barrier to healthy eating.
But our latest findings show that many, even those with lower household incomes, are willing to spend on premium taste or quality where they can. And while most people still prioritize food with physical health benefits, more than a third prioritize good mood food.
The influx of healthy options at some of the country’s most popular restaurants has largely decoupled the terms “junk food” and “fast food,” and most people, including those engaged Foodies, believe that you can trust major chains today to deliver quality food.
Twenty-three percent of our MONITOR respondents said they had a food allergy or sensitivity, yet 77% of them told us they have “no trouble finding food they can safely eat at most restaurants today.”
If you’re in the food and beverage space, it’s imperative to know that health is a part of most consumers’ decision calculus to some degree. Stay flexible to adapt to ever-shifting diets, and don’t be afraid to test and learn with Foodies. If your offerings aren’t meant to optimize physical health, capture the market of people looking for an emotional lift and approach health from that angle.
If you’re not in the food and beverage space, don’t sleep on health. Wellbeing is a consideration well beyond this category and is a priority for consumers in every industry and aisle, from finances to consumer electronics to apparel. Learn more about Kantar MONITOR here.
