OFFICIALLY 'ADULTING': New Survey Explores What It Really Means to Be an 'Adult'

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga., Aug. 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Millennials, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Gen Zers have diverging beliefs about what it means to be an adult, according to new research. The study's findings on attitudes towards "adulting" found several generational divides, including differing opinions on the age at which a person should officially be considered an adult and what foods are deemed most adult-like.

Talkin' About My Generation:
The new national survey of 2,000 Americans, ages 18-51+, commissioned by Farm Rich, found:

• Millennials put more pressure on themselves to reach adulthood. After age 26 Millennials believe it becomes embarrassing if you are not a full-fledged adult. Baby Boomers were more forgiving and said 31 is the cut-off.
• Millennials surveyed said that 22 is the age they felt comfortable having a steady job. Baby Boomers, however, said it was age 17 for them.
• When asked what's considered to be the "favorite" age in life, the average Millennial wishes they could be 23 for the rest of their life, whereas Boomers said 32.

Signs of Adulting:
When looking at the top signs of "adulting" across generations, these emerged as the top 10:

1. Having a budget (55 percent)
2. Buying a house (54 percent)
3. Filing your own taxes (52 percent)
4. Understanding and monitoring your credit score (48 percent)
5. Investing in your 401(k) (46 percent)
6. Doing your own laundry (43 percent)
7. Scheduling regular doctors' appointments (38 percent)
8. Making a list to take when going to the grocery store (35 percent)
9. Cooking dinner most of Monday through Friday (33 percent)
10. Watching the nightly news (31 percent)

Reaching Adulthood First, a Battle of the Sexes:
Although several generational differences came through in the study's findings, another key survey result found a gap between the age at which men and women are considered to become full-fledged adults.

• Respondents consider men to officially be adults at age 26, while respondents overall felt women reach adulthood three years earlier, at age 23.

Eating Like a "Grown-Up":
No matter the age, all generations in the survey came to the table when it was time to discuss what they eat as an adult.

• Millennials and Baby Boomers both believe that having vegetables, fruits and coffee on hand are the top foods you need if you want to call yourself an adult.
• About 33 percent of Millennials and Gen Zers revealed that frozen foods are a staple in the kitchens of adults, whereas a smaller group (21 percent) of Boomers feel frozen foods are must-haves for an adult kitchen.
• Of those surveyed, 29 percent revealed that hosting dinner parties or gatherings is a true sign of being an adult.
• Seventeen percent of respondents overall said eating snacks for dinner whenever you want is an indication that you have officially reached adulthood, but Gen Zers are three times more likely to find excitement in having snacks for dinner than Baby Boomers (30 percent vs. 9 percent).

"The findings in this study are both funny and true. When it comes to food, for example, it's interesting to see how it plays such a big part in attitudes toward adulting – things like doing your own grocery shopping, entertaining friends, cooking at home, or just eating snacks to relieve stress," says Shannon Gilreath, Farm Rich Director of Marketing.

The Farm Rich-sponsored survey was conducted in May 2019 by OnePoll, with a sample of 2,000 Americans between the ages of 18-51+.

SOURCE Farm Rich

Related Links

http://www.farmrich.com