The Youngest Generation Of Consumers Prefers Healthy Cooking

Millennials' eating habits have been a driving force behind the movement toward fresh, healthy and natural foods in the U.S.

Now researchers are finding that their younger brothers and sisters - known as Generation Z - may be even more inclined to eat healthy.

A new survey by The NPD Group has found that Generation Z consumers, which includes everyone up to the age of 23, prefer home-cooked foods over processed, ready-to-eat meals such as cold cereal. They aren't big fans of microwaves, and would rather use a stove top or oven to prepare meals.

This chart shows Generation Z's cooking preferences compared to Millennials (24 to 37 years old) and Generation X (38 to 48 years old).

NPD

Salad consumption in particular will increase among the youngest generation, followed by sandwiches and breakfast foods that require some cooking, such as eggs and pancakes, over the next five years, the survey found.

Generation X is the only group where microwavable meals and simple breakfast foods like cold cereal are reportedly growing.