How higher grocery costs are reshaping Americans eating and shopping habits: survey

A third of Americans say they’re cooking at home much more than they did a year ago (31%), and squeezed budgets are the culprit.A survey of 2,000 Americans found that higher grocery prices and increased home cooking are reshaping grocery shopping habits, with 26% of respondents now choosing ingredients that work across multiple meals.Respondents reported that a grocery budget of $100 should cover almost two more meals than it actually does.Meat and poultry consume the largest share of the grocery budget as cited by 60% of respondents, with dairy and eggs (30%) and frozen meals or convenience food (22%) close behind.Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of the Idaho Potato Commission, the survey found that minimizing food waste (73%), shelf life (72%) and nutritional value for the money (71%) rank as the top factors Americans weigh when deciding what to buy.More than half of respondents (60%) reported that they build their weekly meal plans around ingredient overlap, and nearly two-thirds (63%) said that a single ingredient’s ability to work across breakfast, lunch and dinner is an essential or strong factor in whether it earns a regular spot in their cart.When asked which ingredients they consider to be a versatile staple, potatoes came out on top (40%).Of ingredients respondents reported relying more on in the past year, eggs (38%), potatoes (37%), rice and pasta (35%) and beans (27%) top the list.

Among those same respondents, 67% of regular potato buyers say the ingredient remains underrated.“There’s a shift in how Americans grocery shop.People are not only trying to spend less, they are also trying to cook smarter,” said Jamey Higham, President & CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission.

“Shoppers are looking for ingredients that can do more with less.”Thirty-three percent of respondents said they’ve actively reconsidered a food they previously avoided.Red meat (32%), white rice (31%), potatoes (30%) and eggs (29%) top the list of foods America...