SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — High lifestyle demands have caused some Americans to spend more money on convenience food.
There can be little time for meal prep with family, school, or work obligations. Eating out can become a solution for busy households, but at a cost.
A recent CNET survey revealed that American adults spend $2,841 per year on restaurant and takeout meals, largely due to a lack of time for meal preparation and grocery shopping. This equates to an average of $236.76 per month.
Adding to the financial strain, even when adults do manage to buy groceries, much of the food goes unused. The survey found that an average of $125 per month is spent on groceries that never get cooked or eaten.
Meal kit delivery services, often seen as a time-saving alternative to traditional cooking, haven’t fully caught on either.
The survey shows that six in 10 U.S. adults have never tried a meal kit, with cost being the biggest barrier.
Taking a deeper look into meal kit usage, 22% of people haven’t used one in the past year, and only 17% have used a meal kit service in the past 12 months.
Among those who have tried them, HelloFresh is the most popular. It was used by 10% of U.S. adults in the past year.
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Dining and Cooking