The plant-based food movement in the United States is on the rise, which is why Amy’s Kitchen, the national leader of organic and vegetarian frozen foods, surveyed over 2,000 consumers nationwide to better understand the motivations behind the meatless mindset. The Petaluma, California-headquartered company found that while a majority of Americans express a curiosity in vegan foods, parents are especially intrigued, with 66% of them saying they’re curious about vegan foods.
Vegan Curiosity on the Rise
With more than 100,000 internet searches per month for “vegan recipes” and “vegetarian recipes,” it’s clear there is high demand for plant-based meals. The survey found that 52% of adults are vegan-curious and illustrated consumers’ desire for time-saving solutions to preparing plant-forward dishes. In fact, 56% of adults said they want shortcuts to plant-based meals.
Every person may have his or her own unique reasons, but the survey revealed Americans’ most common motivators for purchasing or eating plant-based foods were their health (55%), a desire to protect the environment (34%) and they preferred the taste of plant-based ingredients (28%).
“Whether or not consumers choose to go vegetarian or simply want to incorporate more plants into their diets, when they choose Amy’s Kitchen they can count on the best ingredients,” said Fred Scarpulla, the company’s chief culinary officer. “This recent survey underscores consumers’ curiosity in plant-based meals, and we’re thrilled to feed that curiosity with delicious, organic vegetarian meals.”
Family-Friendly Meal Challenges
By all accounts, incorporating more plants into one’s diet has its benefits. But for many busy adults, especially parents, preparing nutritious, family-friendly meals can be challenging. The survey found that nearly seven in 10 (69%) parents struggle to find convenient meals they feel good about feeding their kids and seek shortcuts to plant-based meals.
For the 61% of parents surveyed who look for frozen meal options that make it easier to prepare a healthy family meal, Amy’s Kitchen offers a variety of kid-friendly favorites that taste homemade, like Amy’s Spinach Pizza, Macaroni & Cheese and Organic Black Bean Veggie Burgers.From scratch-made sauces to vegetables and other organic ingredients, Amy’s recipes are cooked, then frozen just like you might freeze leftovers at home.
Dietary and Lifestyle Restrictions
While food trends indicate Americans crave convenient mealtime solutions, the need for inclusive food products is even more pronounced for those with lifestyle dietary restrictions and the 32 million Americans who have food allergies. The survey found that 45% of parents say they or someone in their household have dietary restrictions, nearly half of all households, and 72% of those parents claim that finding prepared foods that meet their family’s needs is very or extremely challenging.
Amy’s Kitchen products, which are sold in the freezer aisles of retail stores nationwide, do not use any meat, peanuts, fish, shellfish or eggs. With more than 120 vegan, 100 gluten-free and dozens of Kosher products, those with food sensitivities and allergies have a variety of snack and meal options to consider.
