Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Unveils Proprietary Research Showing Changes in Consumers' Cooking and Grocery Shopping Behavior

NEW YORK, July 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hectic schedules and tighter budgets have changed the way consumers cook, shop, and break bread, according to an audience trend report from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO). The survey included 1,000 respondents over age 18.

"These findings underscore a real change in consumer behavior as the family meal enjoys a resurgence. People are hungry for delicious, healthy meals that can be shared with loved ones around the kitchen table," said Lucinda Scala Quinn, Executive Editorial Director of Food at MSLO and host of the forthcoming cooking show Mad Hungry With Lucinda Scala Quinn, premiering on Hallmark Channel in September.

Key findings include:

More Families Sitting Down for Meals at Home

• 65 percent of those surveyed enjoy a sit-down dinner at least five times per week.
• More than half the respondents sit down for breakfast at least five times per week.

Magazines, Websites, and TV Cooking Shows Primary Sources of Culinary Inspiration

• When it comes to recipes, media are more influential than word-of-mouth recommendations. Respondents cited cookbooks, recipe websites, food-focused magazines, and TV cooking shows as their resources for recipes—ahead of suggestions from friends and family.
• People are actively seeking mealtime ideas. More than one-third of respondents say they use recipes for inspiration more often than they used to.
• Over 60 percent of respondents say health and efficiency are the most important factors when considering a recipe.

Time-Starved Families Sharing More Mealtime Responsibilities

• Busy schedules have prompted families to divvy up everyday cooking responsibilities: 25 percent of women say cooking is shared among family members and that husbands are increasingly tying on the apron.
• Prep time is changing, too: 48 percent of those surveyed cook in larger batches to save time.

Consumers Are Savvier About Products They Buy

• Finding deals has become a source of satisfaction and even a passion: 81 percent of those surveyed say they are proud of budgeting.
• Although supermarkets are the leading source for groceries, 55 percent say they shop at multiple retailers to get better deals.
• Consumers are purchasing healthier products at the grocery store: 95 percent say they know what's healthy for them, while 87 percent say they read food labels.

Food is a cornerstone of MSLO. Food and recipe ideas are a key element across MSLO's media properties, including Martha Stewart Living, Everyday Food, and Whole Living: Body + Soul in Balance magazines, as well as numerous best-selling cookbooks. In broadcast, food plays an important role as part of The Martha Stewart Show, TV programming with Emeril Lagasse, the forthcoming TV show Mad Hungry With Lucinda Scala Quinn, and on Martha Stewart Living Radio. Marthastewart.com features more than 14,000 recipes and Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food app offers iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users access to thousands of delicious, family friendly Everyday Food magazine recipes that can be shared, saved and organized into mobile shopping lists.

About Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) is a diversified media and merchandising company, inspiring and engaging consumers with unique lifestyle content and distinctive products. The Publishing segment encompasses four magazines, including the company's flagship publication, Martha Stewart Living, and periodic special issues and books. The marthastewart.com website provides consumers with instant access to MSLO's multimedia library, with search-and-find capabilities, recipes, online workshops, community, and personalization, as well as wedding-planning tools powered by WeddingWire and digital invitations with Pingg. The Broadcasting segment produces programming such as the Emmy-winning daily, nationally syndicated television series, The Martha Stewart Show, and Martha Stewart Living Radio on Sirius 112 and XM 157. In addition to its media properties, MSLO offers high-quality Martha Stewart products through licensing agreements with carefully selected companies, including the Martha Stewart Collection exclusively at Macy's, the Martha Stewart Living line of home-improvement products at The Home Depot, Martha Stewart Crafts with EK Success at Michaels and independent retailers, and the Martha Stewart Pets line at PetSmart. In 2008, Emeril Lagasse joined the Martha Stewart family of brands; MSLO acquired the assets related to Lagasse's media and merchandising business, including TV programming, cookbooks, emerils.com, and his licensed kitchen and food products. For additional information about MSLO, visit marthastewart.com.

SOURCE Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.