Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Helps Cook Up New Holiday Traditions

According to a new survey, Millennials are more likely to use prepared sides than their older counterparts

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Dec 18, 2018, 13:00 ET

NEW ALBANY, Ohio, Dec. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday hosts of the Millennial generation are redefining hosting traditions with more focus on spending time with family and friends and a shared-cooking, time-saving approach.

A new Bob Evans Farms Inc. survey of 1,150 Americans showed that 20- and 30-somethings are cooking-up a holiday dinner revolution. Of note:

Take A Short Cut, Take the Credit: 44% of millennials were much more likely to use prepared sides; of those, nearly 25% were comfortable "gravy-coating" the truth by taking full credit for all of the cooking, despite using prepared sides
Crowdsourcing Is King: 75% of Millennials, 67% of Gen Xers and 61% of Baby Boomers responded that they did ask friends and family to bring dishes. The survey shows a trend that the younger the host, the more likely they are to crowdsource the holiday meal
I Get by with a Little Help: In addition, Millennials were the most likely to rely on help preparing meals whereas Baby Boomers were more likely to go it alone. 62% Millennials said they do have family and friends help with oven space and preparation versus only 45% of Gen Xers and 35% of Baby Boomers

"The holidays are steeped in tradition – Millennials are starting to make their own and part of that is turning the meal into a group affair while adding in some shortcuts, so they can spend more time with friends and family," said Chris Lambrix, SVP Retail Business Development at Bob Evans Farms. "That's where Bob Evans comes in. We have something for consumers of any age, from Millennials to Baby Boomers. As consumers are learning, our mashed potatoes are better than most people can make, and way better than any person can make in six minutes."

Other findings include:

Prepared Sides Usage

36% of total respondents said they use prepared sides to make preparing holiday dinner easier but that number is skewed by Baby Boomers, with only 25% reporting prepared sides usage. On the flip side, Gen X and Millennials were much more likely to use prepared sides: 40% and 44% of respondents respectively. Likewise, there is a big difference with the sexes: men are much more likely to use prepared sides (41%) compared to their female counterparts (31%).
Of those respondents that said they did, indeed, use prepared sides during holiday dinner, 20% said they took credit for the cooking even though they did not do it with Millennials reporting the highest rate of "fibbing" at 24% versus just 17% of Baby Boomers.

Biggest Worries Preparing for Holiday Dinners

Biggest food worry about hosting holiday dinner:

30%: Timing the food so everything is ready at the same time
23%: Having something that everyone likes
21%: Having enough stovetop and oven space for all of the food
16%: Prepping for the meal
9%: Running out of food

Baby Boomers were much more concerned about timing the food correctly, probably because they make much more of their dishes from scratch (only 25% use prepared sides)

Most stress when preparing for a holiday:

48%: Cleaning the house
31%: Timing the sides to be ready at the same time as the main dish
21%: Having enough time to prep dinner

56% of respondents worry about having enough stovetop or oven space for preparing holiday dinner; of that group, women were more concerned than men, with 61% of women expressing worry versus only 52% of men.

Activities that take up the MOST TIME when preparing a holiday dinner:

40%: Making all of the sides
31%: Cleaning the dishes
20%: Preparing the turkey
9%: Peeling and mashing potatoes

Millennial holiday dinners are a family and friends affair

75% of Millennials, 67% of Gen Xers and 61% of Baby Boomers responded that they did ask friends and family to bring dishes. Basically, the younger you are, the more likely you are to crowdsource your holiday meal.
In addition, Millennials were the most likely to rely on help with over space whereas Baby Boomers were more likely to go it alone. 62% Millennials said they do have family and friends help with oven space versus only 45% of Gen Xers and 35% of Baby Boomers.

Kids rule

49% of respondents have added side dishes to holiday dinners because kids requested them and of that group, 70% of them added macaroni and cheese per request of children.

Bob Evans offers a variety of family-favorite prepared side dishes in an assortment of flavors that are perfect for any holiday meal, including Mashed Potatoes, Macaroni and Cheese, Glazed Apples, and Homestyle Stuffing. For more information, recipes and tips on hosting the perfect holiday meal, visit www.BobEvansGrocery.com.

About Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. is a brand born and raised on the promise of farm-fresh goodness. For more than 70 years, the company has been making delicious, quick-to-table farm-fresh food that is sold in grocery stores all over the country. Today, Bob Evans brand mashed potatoes and macaroni & cheese products are the #1 selling refrigerated side dishes in the United States*. Based in Columbus, Ohio and owned by Post Holdings, Inc., a consumer-packaged goods holding company, Bob Evans Farms is also a leading producer and distributor of refrigerated potato, pasta and vegetable-based side dishes, pork sausage, and a variety of refrigerated and frozen convenience food items under the Bob Evans, Owens and Pineland Farms brand names. For more information about Bob Evans Farms, Inc., visit www.bobevansgrocery.com.
* SOURCE: IRI Total US MULO Latest 52 W/E 12/2/18.

Methodology

The Bob Evans survey was conducted online by ORC, International from August 31-September 5, 2018, among 1,510 American adults aged 21 to 65. Respondents to the survey were selected from among those who volunteered to participate in online surveys. Fifteen hundred complete surveys were collected using the sample framework based on U.S. Census data for age, ethnicity, gender, region, and income.

SOURCE Bob Evans Farms, Inc.