IRWINDALE, Calif. — With the start of the holiday season upon us, consumers are already weighing their options for making healthier choices this year. According to a recent ORC International Survey conducted for Ready Pac Foods, 81 percent of consumers wish they made healthier choices during the holiday season; yet seven out of 10 have no plans to make their holiday meals healthier this year.
However, there is a way to bring a healthy balance to the season. In fact, the survey showed that 37 percent of respondents realize they can eat healthier with simple meal substitutions, without compromising the holiday spirit. To help consumers with these choices, Ready Pac Foods offers up easy and delicious options that can battle the holiday binge. These include switching out an instant macaroni and cheese dinner for a quick grab and go Organic Chopped Salad Kit, keeping holiday flavors alive with a Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Bistro Bowl® Salad, or grabbing a Caramel Apple Crisp Ready Snax® over pie and ice cream for one or two holiday desserts.
"At Ready Pac Foods, we know it's important to honor holiday traditions in the kitchen, but we also know that often comes with a lot of over-indulgence, and for some, an overwhelming feeling of guilt," said Tristan Simpson, CMO of Ready Pac Foods. "We strive to give consumers the freedom to eat healthier without giving up their favorite family recipes. Today, it has never been easier to balance the holidays with healthier sides and smaller meals, such as ready-to-eat salads and single serve snack packs."
Additional key findings from the holiday survey include:
- Watching the scale: Weight was the number one reason for eating healthier this holiday season (38 percent) with residents of the west coast leading all other regions (44 percent).
- Millennials – more than anyone – want to eat healthier: 30 percent of millennials plan to make healthier choices this holiday season compared to 19 percent of baby boomers.
- Men want meat, women want sides: For men, heavy meats was the one holiday food item they "can't live without" at 42 percent. For women, it was indulgent sides at 34 percent.
Ready Pac Foods is committed to giving people the freedom to eat healthier during the holiday season and all year long. For more information, visit www.readypac.com.
Methodology:
The survey of 1,022 adults was conducted by ORC International on behalf of Ready Pac Foods. This online omnibus was live on November 3-6, 2016.
About Ready Pac Foods
Home of the original Bistro Bowl® complete meal salad, Southern California-based Ready Pac Foods has been giving people the freedom to eat healthier for more than 45 years as a premier producer of convenience fresh foods and fresh cut produce. With processing facilities throughout the United States, Ready Pac Foods manufactures a complete range of products featuring fresh produce and protein under the company's Bistro®, Ready Snax®, Cool Cuts® and elev?te™ brands. Offerings include fresh-cut salads, fruits, vegetables, snacking and complete meals available where consumers buy groceries and in restaurant chains across North America. For more information, visit www.readypac.com.
Source: Ready Pac Foods
