Americans are finally practicing what they preach—they are starting to eat more healthfully when dining out. A recent study from The NPD Group found that over the past decade, consumers have shifted away from fried foods, hot dogs and soft drinks and moved toward grilled foods and better-for-you breakfasts. This trend can be noted as a general decrease in foods high in sugar or fat with an increase in more nutritious items. The trend is expected to continue to rise during the next 10 years.
- 410 million more grilled, broiled or roasted chicken sandwiches were ordered in 2010 compared to 2001
- 111 million more broiled, baked, grilled and raw fish was ordered
- Fried fish consumption was down by 187 million orders
- Hot and cold breakfast cereal consumption increased by 134 million orders
- Grilled chicken not in a sandwich was up by 111 million, while fried chicken was down by 477 million orders
- French fries fell by 1.6 billion orders
- 2.8 billion fewer carbonated soft drinks were ordered
- Consumer demand for healthy/light sandwich options will rise over the next decade by 13%
- Consumers 50 and older are the most health-conscious consumer segment
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