RISMEDIA, December 14, 2010—Allrecipes.com, a Reader’s Digest Association (RDA) brand and a leading food site, along with consumer strategist Robin Avni, released projections for the top food trends of 2011 in the Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup Report.
Analysis of search and recipe viewing behaviors of over 25 million home cooks, plus data collected across dozens of onsite surveys suggest 2011 will be a year when cooks embrace greater speed, convenience and diversity in their kitchens. Technologies that connect cooks through digital communities are fueling many of these trends, allowing cooks to leverage the experiences of others to boost cooking confidence and creativity.
“With a community of 25 million home cooks consuming 1.3 billion recipe pages annually, Allrecipes is uniquely positioned to recognize attitudes, behaviors and trends influencing the grocery carts and kitchens of American families,” says Lisa Sharples, president of Allrecipes.com. “This year, we are excited to see cooks pushing traditional boundaries to find new foods and flavors to feed their curiosity and satisfy the family palate.”
Here are the top trends for 2011:
1. Going mobile
Mobile devices and wireless computing are serving up newfound meal planning freedom. Cooks of all ages are using laptops, smartphones and tablet devices to find recipes, check competitive pricing and make grocery lists whenever and wherever inspiration strikes. In 2010, Allrecipes.com page views from mobile devices surged 340%; top food activities among smartphone equipped cooks were finding recipes (63%) and creating shopping lists (60%).
2. Shrinking world, expanding kitchen
Just a few years ago, ethnic cuisine typically involved a night of eating out or ordering in. In a likely effort to save money without compromising variety, cooks are increasingly taking a DIY approach toward satisfying their cravings for favorite ethnic dishes. Consumption of ethnic dishes increased 29% in 2010 with the fastest growing cuisines coming from South America, Japan and Korea.
3. Where the drinks are
It can be safely said, the economy is driving consumers to drink—at home. Wine, beer, and cocktails have become part of the make-it-yourself mix. More than half of consumers surveyed are drinking more at home vs. a year ago—top motivations include cost savings, entertaining more at home, and the enjoyment of creating signature cocktails. The fastest growing spirit? Tequila.
4. Farewell to fad diets
Dieting is so 2009. This year, healthy eating is the focus, and the road to health is paved with good eating intentions rather than bizarre diet interventions. Long gone are the days of carb-free, grapefruit only, diet fads. Now “healthy” is considered eating a well-balanced meal with lots of fruits and vegetables, and a limited amount of sugars and processed foods. According to a recent Allrecipes survey, 75% of cooks feel they are eating more healthfully today.
5. Local artisan shops
Seeking quality, community and variety, everyday folk are increasingly gravitating to locally-owned specialty shops and markets for everyday food items including meat, breads and vegetables.
6. Pies take the cake
Pies of all types—hot and cold, sweet and savory—are picking up in popularity. In 2010, slices of savory pie were as often a part of dinner as sweet pie was the star of dessert. Bucking tradition, ice cream pie was 2010’s fastest growing pie type.
7. Pre-made ingredients
Cooks are taking a “can-do” approach for getting favorite dishes on the table in record time. Mixes, cans and refrigerated dough are making supper time a snap.
8. Small kitchen tools rule
Since a full blown kitchen makeover is likely not in the budget, cooks are snatching up colorful silicone kitchen tools and fun kitchen gadgets to make meal prep more festive and fun.
9. Countertop appliances
Adequate storage is always a struggle, but it’s clear that countertop appliances, with their ease of use, are overtaking the stove inch-by-inch.
10. Men in the kitchen
More men are cooking, and appear to be the primary cook when the family hosts a crowd. Male cooks are feeling just as comfortable in the kitchen as behind the barbeque—particularly the 20-somethings.
11. Home is where the food is
While potluck dinners and formal sit down dinners have traditionally been the most popular forms of entertaining, the casual sit down dinner—a mash-up of the two—will be the entertaining format of choice in 2011.
For more information, visit www.allrecipes.com.
