Home delivered takeaway has never been more accessible, but that hasn’t stopped the home cooking boom.
A new global report from meal kit delivery service, HelloFresh, reveals 49% of Aussies are cooking more at home than they were 10 years ago, while fresh ingredients play a bigger role in the kitchen for 39%.
Celebrating 10 years since the delivery of its first meal kit in 2011, the HelloFresh Food Trends & Innovation Report reflects on the cooking and eating trends of Australians, comparing habits and behaviours over the past decade, and intentions for the future.
Evolving food preferences, tastes and behaviours
“The Food Trends and Innovation Report shows Australians have jumped at the chance to embrace home cooking and get more comfortable with cooking from scratch,” says Hannah Gilbert, Director of Culinary Innovation & Operations at HelloFresh.
“As a result, they’ve been able to expand their taste buds in the process.”
42% of surveyed Australians admitted to eating a wider variety of food than ever before. The vast majority (74%) also confess their approach to food has changed significantly over the past 10 years, and they expect it to change ever further over the coming decade.
This change is driven by motivations to look after our health (46%), a desire for balance and quality ingredients (41%) and wanting to enjoy and experience more cuisines (35%).
Importance of food journey and sustainability
Our knowledge of food has developed over the past decade, with 34% admitting they are more interested in the food and produce they eat today. Aussies are also more mindful of the journey of their produce and ingredients, with almost a third (31%) shopping more locally in comparison to 10 years ago.
Looking ahead, 26% of Australians want to eat more nutritiously by 2032. Sustainability is also front of mind for Aussies, with 23% wanting to reduce food waste in their home in a decade’s time and 24% aim to shop more sustainably in the next 10 years.
