Food trends come and food trends go. One year we’re all raving about Sriracha, the next we’re falling for the cronut. For the last 30 years, Parade has surveyed those trends and other American eating habits.
This year, foods like snack bars and frozen sandwiches have risen in popularity. As more people eat on the go, convenience foods are going to see a natural rise. According to Parade‘s survey:
- 27 percent of main dishes made at home are frozen or ready-to-eat meals.
- 80 percent of our meals are prepared at home, and over half of them are made from scratch or fresh ingredients.
Fresh ingredients like fresh fruit are seeing a rise in consumption along with other healthy foods like yogurt and hummus. We’re also consuming fewer soft drinks.
- Healthy foods like kale are also still gaining popularity. The number of Americans consuming kale is six times greater now than it was just five years ago. If you’re eating kale, chances are it’s organic.
- 25 percent of Americans regularly purchase and eat organic products. Vegetables are the top food people look for when buying organic, followed by milk, fruit, eggs and seasonings.
- 29 percent are worried about consuming gluten, that’s down 1 percent since last year. Gluten is one of the top things we’re trying to avoid, as well as sugar, carbs and trans fat.
When it comes to lunches, most of us stick with a classic sandwich, fresh fruit, fruit juice combo. However, only 9 percent of lunches contain a vegetable. There are plenty of food swaps you can make to ensure the lunches kids eat are well-balanced and healthy.
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Images from Parade