Getting to Know Gen X Eating Occasions

The Insatiable Appetite

In this podcast, we explore and analyze the influential expectations of Gen X (ages 41 - 56) in terms of their eating habits, needs and values in relation to foods and beverages today.

Listen in to learn how Gen X, who while often overlooked (since they’re sandwiched between Millennials and Boomers), are still a dynamic and influential generation embracing a wide variety of food and beverage needs relating to sustainability, cooking, health, functionality, social and (alone) eating occasions.

We discuss how Gen X are more likely to have premium expectations and needs for foods and beverages which include high interest in local seasonal foods, authentic global flavors, artisan ingredients, and purchasing products with sustainability-related narratives and ingredients.

As measured in our Compass Eating Occasions Database (which records the who, what, why, when and where of eating behavior in three waves of annual research), learn how Gen X are:

• Exploring their interests in cooking (with new culinary appliances, tools and techniques)
• Because of their use of restaurants, more apt than most other generations to utilize leftovers
• Eating earlier in the day (focusing on early morning snacks)
• Eating both alone and with others
• Eating out and at home – and their relationship with restaurants as influenced by the pandemic
• As parents, influencing their children in terms of eating and cooking behaviors
• Embracing sustainability and the social impact of brands in the way they vote with their dollars when purchasing
• Seeking global tastes and flavors and foods and beverages with attributes that include baseline considerations for convenience, flavor, fresh, less processed and sustainable
• Positioned demographically to have significant market influence today and in the future

We finish the podcast with implications for the food and beverage industry to meet the eating occasion needs and values of this influential, yet often overlooked, generation.

Interested to learn more about consumer eating occasions? Our Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 report explores in-depth the spectrum of eating approaches (e.g., plant-based eating) that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.

Download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 study overview and order form here.

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