Americans pick premium grub over comfort food when they need motivation to get through the week: poll
More than half of Americans say splurging on lavish, premium meals is their go-to move for turning a rough week around (58%), according to new research.A new survey of 2,000 adults looked at the daily “dinner decisions” they make, and it found that 60% of those surveyed said the thought of having an interesting meal at the end of the week motivates them during the week.The “save it for a special occasion” era may officially be over.Almost three-quarters of respondents (72%) would prefer to have their favorite meal more regularly.The sentiment goes beyond just frequency, too — more than two-thirds (68%) believe “fancy” foods should be enjoyed any day of the week.Conducted by Talker Research for Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, the survey found that of those who said that seafood is one of their go-to end-of-week meals, nearly half agree that it’s one of the most satisfying kinds of food.Seven in 10 consume seafood at least once a month (73%), and results also showed that more than a quarter of seafood lovers say the meal always feels like a special occasion (27%).But they don’t always come to this conclusion quickly.
The average respondent spends almost 16 minutes per day deciding what to have for dinner.This adds up to more than an hour and a half per week, or four full days a year.Respondents admitted they have a harder time deciding what to eat for dinner than they do choosing what to watch on TV (63% vs.37%), what to wear in the morning (81% vs.
19%), or even how to spend a free afternoon (61% vs.39%).The answer may be as simple as including a “little luxury” within their regular meals.
The “premium” ingredients respondents would like to add to their weekly dinner rotation include shrimp (31%), prime rib (28%), and salmon (24%).Among consumers planning their end-of-week meal more than two days in advance, nearly one in five choose seafood (18%), making it one of the top meal choices alongside pizza (44%) and fried chicken (25%).For...