Kids’ Food Trends – Pork Triumphs Over Chicken And Mexican Tops The List In HelloFresh Survey

NEW YORK — HelloFresh, one of the world's leading meal kit delivery companies, has released the results of a new survey on the latest food trends among families in the United States.  HelloFresh consulted the experts – parents and kids – in addition to analyzing over a year's worth of customer recipe feedback, finding that pork is the #1 protein, kids love customization, and Mexican cuisine is the most popular among families. As a data-centric company, HelloFresh looks to constantly evolve and improve its products, which is why they are using this data to launch a revamped Family Plan, available starting August 19.

The nationwide survey conducted in May 2017 polled a total of 1,168 respondents, including current HelloFresh customers and non-customers about their preferences on types of cuisine, techniques and ingredients. This, combined with analysis of over a year's worth of Family recipe feedback including more than 17,000 unique data points, resulted in a revamped product, and a "cheat sheet" for parents to make quick and easy weeknight dinners for the whole family.

"We are thrilled to announce the launch of our revamped Family Plan, and offer customers an easy way to get weeknight dinners on the table for kids without skimping on the flavor and, of course, the fun," said Stacy Gordon, Chief Product Officer of HelloFresh US. "As a mother of two, I can attest that creating a family-friendly meal is the ultimate balancing act between deliciousness, simplicity and nutrition.  Thanks to the help of the experts – parents and kids – we're excited to introduce a variety of recipes that will have even the pickiest eaters asking for seconds."

"Over the course of the past year, we've discovered surprising trends through our customer feedback," said Freida Hirsch, Chef and Recipe Developer at HelloFresh. "When you think of what kids want, pizza, chicken fingers and hot dogs often come to mind, but we've learned our family customers are craving varied cuisines, ingredients, flavors, and textures. With this valuable insight, we've been able to figure out the 'recipe' for the ultimate Family plan."

The new Family Plan offers delicious, around 30-minute, no-more-than-2-pots-and-pans, kid-approved dinner options with minimal cleanup. In addition, every Family box includes an educational activity for kids to keep them engaged and entertained while dinner is being prepared. Customers can select 2 or 3 family recipes per week from the expanded 5 options, priced at $8.74 per meal. Like other HelloFresh meal subscription plans, customers can choose their preferred delivery day and pause or cancel at any time. For more information, please visit hellofresh.com.

Key Survey Findings & Cheat Sheet:

• Pork is the #1 meat: Contrary to popular belief, pork consistently performs well with families when compared to both chicken and beef. 65% of pork dishes received the highest scores versus 53% of chicken dishes and 51% of beef dishes.
  TIP: Kids love sweet flavors, and pork pairs well with sweet sauces and glazes including fruit, jam, or honey. 
                          
• Families want Mexican cuisine: 77% of families surveyed were most excited for Mexican cuisine, compared to 73% for steak and potatoes and 72% for stir fry.  
  TIP:  Think beyond the typical beef, shredded lettuce, and cheese taco. Traditional dishes can be easily spruced up by including different meats and complimenting them with fruit salsas such as pineapple, mango, peach or kiwi. 
                       
• Customization is key: Burgers and meatballs may both be made of ground beef, but 100% of burger recipes were rated favorites, compared to only 25% of meatball recipes. Families favor burgers for their quick prep, short cook time, and customization. Kids can be picky, so dishes like burgers that offer the possibility to replace or remove an ingredient without losing flavor rank higher than casseroles and chilis that can't be personalized. 
  TIP: To avoid having to make separate meals, offer a few different toppings and mix-ins to cater to all ages and tastes. 
                   
• Kids love texture: Fifty percent of recipes containing panko bread crumbs are family favorites — more than any other ingredient. In fact, nine out of HelloFresh's 20 top-scoring recipes contain the word "crispy." 
  TIP: To achieve this coveted texture without resorting to a deep-fryer, mix panko bread crumbs with cheese. Mozzarella and Parmesan are family-favorite cheeses (with 53% and 50% making it to top recipe lists respectively). Roasting veggies will achieve that same kid-approved crisp.

About HelloFresh         
HelloFresh currently operates in the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, and Canada. HelloFresh delivered 30.7 million meals in the 3-month period from 1 January 2017 to 31 March 2017 to 1.2 million households. HelloFresh was founded in November 2011 and is based in Berlin. Additional offices are located in New York, London, Amsterdam, Zurich, Sydney, and Toronto. Current investors include Baillie Gifford, Insight Venture Partners, Phenomen Ventures, Rocket Internet, and Vorwerk Direct Selling Ventures.

Source: HelloFresh