News

Survey reveals US teen eating preferences

7 Jun 2018

A new US-wide survey of 2,000 families with teenagers, ages 13-19, commissioned by Farm Rich, finds that today's teenagers spend an average of 1,000 hours, or 39 entire days, thinking about food.

Survey reveals US teen eating preferences

A new US-wide survey of 2,000 families with teenagers, ages 13-19, commissioned by Farm Rich, finds that today's teenagers spend an average of 1,000 hours, or 39 entire days, thinking about food between the ages of 13-19. With the next bite always on the brain, this, it says, has led teens to become more involved in family shopping, meal planning and food routines.

Among its findings:

+ Teen palates are becoming more sophisticated, drawing inspiration from social media, parents and cooking shows

+ Parents say 30% of the weekly grocery bill is driven by teens' preferences and eating behaviours

+ Teenagers snack 2-3 times per day

+ The typical teen expresses dissatisfaction with a meal four times a month

+The favourite meal among teens is dinner

While there are lots of sources for food inspiration, the researchers note, parents still play a key role in their kids' understanding of food, and teens view food as more than just a means of satiating hunger.

+ 7 in 10 say parents are their primary source for food knowledge

+ 46% surveyed watch cooking shows for food ideas

+ At 27%, Facebook is the largest social media source for culinary inspiration, followed by YouTube at 21%

+ 20% of teens use cooking as a way to unleash creativity

The survey confirms that teens are on track to become the next generation of culinary creators, the researchers claim, with about 25% saying they are experimental and adventurous in the kitchen, and willing to try unique and different foods. And 45% of parents share that their teens weigh in often on what should be included in mealtime menus.

More than half of the teens surveyed say meals provided at home don't always suit their preferences. Such attitudes have led parents to consider 'Meals I know my family will eat' as the most important factor when menu planning. And young people often move the goalposts – 28% have completely changed their diet, asking parents to switch up the menu.

+ The most popular meal plans for teens are low-carb (38%), low-fat (35%) and vegetarian (32%)

+ Teens complain about meals roughly 48 times per year

+ They snack heavily between meals (2-3 times a day), including chips, fruit, pizza and frozen snacks.

Despite these changing diets and preferences, more than 90% enjoy sitting down to eat with the family, with dinner the favourite meal among 65%.

To keep the peace while minimizing wasted food, parents encourage teens to get involved in grocery shopping, asking them to pick out ingredients and by giving them a role in planning/preparation. With the average teen now helping mom and dad in the kitchen three times a week, there are strong indications that this generation of gourmands is here to stay, the researchers claim.

"The parent-teen relationship will always have its challenges but involving teens in the process of meal planning and prep is a simple way to let them know they're being heard," said Shannon Gilreath, Farm Rich Director of Marketing. "Enjoying good food is a language we all speak, and it goes a long way in bonding families together, even during those tumultuous teenage years."

Related tags

Beverage Sustainability

Related news

Value is a top priority for today’s F&B consumers

Value is a top priority for today’s F&B consumers

3 Apr 2025

Research from global consultancy Hartman Group suggests there are six core values that brands must tap into to connect with consumers’ needs.

Read more 
Future F&B flavours favour exploration and explosive taste profiles

Future F&B flavours favour exploration and explosive taste profiles

25 Mar 2025

Exploration and experimentation will define the future of flavour, according to Mintel, as consumers seek out taste profiles and textures that offer an adventurous eating experience.

Read more 
Global consumers enjoy food less and perceive it as less healthy

Global consumers enjoy food less and perceive it as less healthy

20 Mar 2025

Enjoyment of food and its perceived healthiness is dwindling among most global populations, according to findings from Gallup and Ando Foundation/Nissin Food Products.

Read more 
Plans to abandon mandatory Nutri-Score labelling ‘would be a step back’

Plans to abandon mandatory Nutri-Score labelling ‘would be a step back’

17 Mar 2025

Critics have slammed reports that mandatory Nutri-Score labelling is to be abandoned as “a step back” that puts citizens’ health at risk.

Read more 
Coca-Cola enters the prebiotic soda category

Coca-Cola enters the prebiotic soda category

12 Mar 2025

Coca-Cola is leaning into nostalgia and the growing popularity of “gut-healthy” sodas to launch a line of prebiotic sparkling beverages.

Read more 
Is the price of a sustainable and healthy diet… unsustainable?

Is the price of a sustainable and healthy diet… unsustainable?

4 Mar 2025

Healthier foods are more than twice as expensive per calorie as less healthy foods, with healthier food increasing in price at twice the rate in the past two years.

Read more 
Does calorie labelling lead to reduced consumption?

Does calorie labelling lead to reduced consumption?

27 Feb 2025

Calorie labelling of food products leads to a small, but consistent, reduction in the number of calories consumed, a study suggests.

Read more 
Brands, retailers, and countries remain divided over Nutri-Score labels

Brands, retailers, and countries remain divided over Nutri-Score labels

30 Jan 2025

Europe's supermarkets and manufacturers are far from aligned over a standarised approach to nutrition labelling. Some welcome the non-mandatory Nutri-Score labels with open arms, while others have “considerable concerns”.

Read more 
EU Parliament passes stricter packaging rules

EU Parliament passes stricter packaging rules

20 Jan 2025

The European Parliament voted to approve updates to the packaging and packaging waste regulation, including enforceable re-use targets, limits on certain single-use packaging types, and restrictions on the use of PFAS “forever chemicals”.

Read more 
Louis Drefyus Company powers on in plant-based with BASF ingredients acquisition

Louis Drefyus Company powers on in plant-based with BASF ingredients acquisition

17 Jan 2025

BASF has agreed to sell its food and health performance ingredients business to Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC).

Read more