Consumption of meat and poultry has climbed
markedly since the 1960s.
In 1965, Americans consumed 175 pounds of meat
and poultry. Today, that
number stands at 219 pounds. Chicken and turkey
consumption have more
than doubled since 1965, while red meat
consumption has declined
slightly. In 2003 on a per capita basis,
Americans consumed 81.5 pounds
of chicken, 64.9 pounds of beef, 51.9 pounds of
pork; 17.4 pounds of
turkey, 1.2 pound of lamb; and .6 pounds of
veal.
According to NPD Group, time spent preparing
food dropped ten percent
in the 1990s as home meal replacement and time
saving appliances have
become more popular. Today’s
time-starved consumers can find quick and
easy to cook cuts like boneless breast of
chicken and turkey, as well
as boneless chops and ready-made burgers to
satisfy the need for quick
and easy meals. Pre-marinated and pre-cooked
products also speed
cooking time.
The top ten lunch and dinner entrees in 1997,
according to NPD group,
were pizza, ham sandwich, peanut butter &
jelly sandwich, hot dog,
turkey sandwich, hamburger, macaroni and
cheese, steak, baked chicken
and bologna sandwich. The most popular entrees
changed little from 1987
to 1997 and likely will remain consistent in
the early part of the new
millennium.
While overall meat and poultry consumption has gone up, meat and poultry expenditures as a percent of disposable income continue to decline. In 1970, consumers spent 4.1 percent of their disposable income on meat and poultry. In 2004, that figure stands at 1.9 percent, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
According to Information Resources Inc., 26 million Americans are on a low-carb diet and some 70 million are limiting their carb intake. The research shows that consumers who are trying to reduce their carb intake are looking at “proteins†like meat and poultry. With more people cutting carbs and boosting protein, it's important to know that beef, chicken and turkey are an excellent source of protein. Knowing more about meat and poultry’s nutrition profile will help solve the protein puzzle and enable shoppers to make better-informed purchasing decisions.
Today, 82 percent of consumers are completely or mostly confident that the food in their supermarket is safe, according to the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) consumer trends study. Consumers are growing more aware of proper handling and cooking at home to ensure the quality and the safety of the food products. Consumers say they practice the following safety measures: wash hands and surfaces, wash vegetables, keep areas pest-free, clean food thoroughly and refrigerate food promptly.
