By Livy Beaner // SWNS
NEWS COPY W/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC
The average American would travel nearly a half hour to eat their favorite food, a new survey revealed.
According to a recent survey of 2,000 Americans, Americans crave adventure in their taste buds as nearly half (47%) are tired of cooking the same types of food at home.
The average American tries at least six new recipes per month and reimagines their food by adding different seasonings (58%), using different base ingredients (52%) and incorporating more fruits and vegetables (38%).
More than half of Americans (53%) consider themselves adventurous eaters and have tried a variety of cuisines, including Vietnamese (42%), African (42%), Korean (38%), Thai (37%), Middle Eastern (37%), and Indian (36%).
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the American Lamb Board, the survey aimed to uncover what keeps people from branching out their taste buds beyond the basics.
The leading reasons for not trying different cuisines were lack of opportunity (40%), unavailability in their area (26%), and fear of not liking it (24%).
When it came to actually trying new food, friend and family recommendations were the top reason why people tried a new cuisine (47%), followed by the place being conveniently located/nearby (39%) and traveling to a location (35%).
Twenty-seven percent of Americans would be more likely to try a new food while traveling and 16% would be willing to try a new food cooked by their partner.
Rather than cooking at home which may be tiring for some, Americans pointed to their favorite places to dine out including casual dining (52%) and family-style restaurants (42%).
Interestingly, Americans have access to seven different types of cuisine options within a 10-mile radius.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the top cuisine Americans cook at home was found to be American (75%), however, nearly half of those surveyed said they were tired of cooking the same types of food.
“Global cuisine is very on-trend right now, and American lamb is an excellent source of protein in the world’s most flavorful and healthy, traditional cuisines, from Middle Eastern to Mediterranean and South American,” said Megan Wortman, executive director of the American Lamb Board. “For those respondents that have never tried lamb, I encourage them to step out of their comfort zone and experiment with different cuts, maybe even start with ground lamb. They might just surprise themselves in how much they love it.”
Regardless of their self-proclaimed adventurous eater status, Americans have tried mushrooms (74%), sauerkraut (57%), lamb (56%) and even liver (51%).
But of those who haven’t branched into this territory, bison (22%), basmati rice (18%), kimchi (16%), curry (12%) and lamb (12%) topped the list of foods Americans are willing to try.
Survey data also showed that 40% of respondents would be interested in eating more lamb if they knew more about nutrition, sustainable lamb production and practices.
“Consumers should feel good about purchasing American lamb,” said Wortman. “Our family farmers and ranchers throughout the U.S. are passionate about providing high quality, flavorful lamb in a way that not only sustains our industry and supports our communities, but it also preserves our land and resources for future generations.”
TOP 5 REASONS PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO TRY A NEW CUISINE
- I’ve never had the opportunity to try it - 40%
- It is not available in my area - 26%
- I’m afraid I won’t like it - 24%
- I don’t like the flavors/ seasonings - 13%
- I’ve never tried the ingredients - 10%
TOP 5 THINGS THAT WOULD INSPIRE PEOPLE TO TRY A NEW CUISINE
- Friend or family member recommendation - 47%
- If it was conveniently located/nearby - 39%
- When I am traveling to that location - 35%
- My partner encouraged me to try it - 27%
- Someone else cooks it for me - 24%
AMERICANS’ FAVORITE LAMB DISHES
- Lamb chops - 33%
- Gyro - 27%
- Kabobs - 16%
- Taco - 14%
- Shepherd’s Pie - 14%
- Curry - 11%
- Lamb burger - 10%
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by the American Lamb Board between March 10 and March 14, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
