August 30, 2024 – In Canada, evolving consumer preferences and lifestyles are shaping new food trends, particularly in how people approach cooking at home. Cooking habits in the region reflect a growing emphasis on health, convenience, and sustainability in daily meals. Here we will highlight the consumer preferences and latest food trends in Canada shaping cooking habits and key opportunities for innovation in the Canadian food and beverage industry.
Cooking Habits
Over the past year, 47% of Canadians have changed their eating occasions toward more eating at home. Home has become more important for both socializing and eating, driven by a focus on cost savings, convenience, and a desire for quality. Consumer trends in Canada shows that half of Canadians are cooking from scratch to become more self-sufficient and conscious in the way they live, with over 1 in 3 consumers linking healthier living to cooking from scratch, preparing fresh foods, and limiting snacking.
As inflationary pressures and the transition from pandemic lifestyles shape consumer trends in Canada, 39% of Canadians are experimenting with flavors when cooking at home or dining with friends and family. They are most likely to experiment with flavors in sauces, seasonings, and toppings. This trend reflects a growing motivation to control snacking and embrace healthier eating by preparing meals from scratch, which moves consumers toward food experimentation.
Both couples with and without children claim to prepare home-cooked meals weekly or almost daily. Couples with children are more likely to invite friends and family over for dinner, try out flavors they’ve experienced outside of the home, and incorporate ready meals or convenience foods into their routines. This evolving approach to home cooking in Canada highlights a blend of health and innovation as consumers navigate their culinary experiences.
International Cuisine Usage
Mediterranean is the top cuisine that Canadian consumers cook at least a few times per month, followed by Chinese and Eastern Mediterranean cuisines. The popularity of Mediterranean and Asian-flavored products demonstrates a preference for these cooking habits, as Canadians frequently incorporate these flavors into their meals. Products like minestrone soup, Italian-inspired proteins, and Asian-flavored dumplings offer easy ways for home cooks to experiment with global flavors while maintaining convenience. This highlights a growing interest in diverse, flavorful meals that are simple to prepare and fit into everyday routines.
Soup Trends
Nearly half of Canadian consumers prefer North American flavors when choosing soups, with these flavors significantly outweighing other cuisines in terms of appeal. While North American flavors lead, Mediterranean flavors are rapidly gaining popularity, with their presence in soup launches growing from 19% in 2019 to 30% in the past year. This preference indicates a growing interest in diverse and healthier flavor profiles, revealing that Canadian consumers are open to expanding their palates while still valuing familiar tastes.
Sauces, Seasonings, and Toppings
Food trends in Canada research indicates that sauces and seasonings launches have fluctuated over the past five years, reflecting changing consumer tastes. Consumer food trends research shows that more than 40% of Canadian consumers seek North American and Mediterranean flavor directions in their sauces, seasonings, and toppings. Additionally, consumers consider East Asian flavor directions when considering these products, accounting for 33% of product launches in the past year.
Ready Meals Trends
In Canada, there has been a 4% growth in ready meal launches over the past five years, driven by consumer interest in diverse cuisines. Consumers seek North American cuisine directions in ready meals, followed by Mediterranean and East Asian cuisine.
In ready meals, East Asian flavors lead food trends in Canada, with 42% of launches over the past year. However, South Asian flavors are the fastest growing, with an 11% CAGR rise in launches over the past five years. This reflects a growing consumer appetite for a broader range of global flavors in convenient ready meals.
Plant-Based Trends
Plant-based food launches in Canada have seen a significant growth of 28% CAGR over the past five years, reflecting a growing consumer interest in vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based options. Among Canadians, 42% say that they sometimes prepare plant-based meals across various cuisine types.
Food trends in Canada research reveals that Millennials and Gen Z mostly prepare plant-based versions of both local and international dishes, as compared to Boomers and Generation X. When preparing plant-based meals, Canadians most frequently opt for scratch using fresh ingredients of local cuisines. However, there’s also a growing preference for ready meals and convenience options, indicating a balanced approach between traditional cooking and modern convenience.
What’s Next in Consumer Food Trends in Canada?
In Canada, rising inflation and a growing focus on healthier living have changed meal occasions toward more at-home dining, where consumers are increasingly experimenting with new flavors, especially when dining with friends and family. They are most likely to use sauces, seasonings, and toppings as aids in their experimentation with flavors.
47% of Canadian consumers expressed a preference for North American cuisine directions in ready meals. However, launches with this cuisine make up a small percentage of overall launches. This gap offers brands several opportunities to innovate with North American-inspired dishes and flavors to meet consumer demand.
Millennials and Gen Z mostly prepare plant-based versions of both local and foreign cuisines as compared to Boomers and Generation X. Brands can target older generations via product messaging and tap into the needs of these generations. As consumer preferences continue to evolve, brands that keep blending tradition with innovation, offering products that cater to both emerging and established tastes, can help shape larger food trends in Canada.
This article is based on our report, “Now & Next in Cooking Habits in Canada.” If you are interested in reading this report, feel free to request a demo.
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