Meat has risen in popularity within both lunch and evening meals despite the continued pressure of rising food prices during the last year, according to Kantar Usage panel.
It shows that 53.1% of mealtimes feature Meat, Fish and Poultry (MFP) and 27.8% of lunch and evening meal occasions feature red meat, up from 27.6% a year ago.
More consumers are choosing to include meat in their lunches, such as cooked meats, pies and sandwiches compared to 2019, before the Covid pandemic in 2019. The sandwich is still the number one choice for lunch, being chosen on over 35% of occasions.
Over the last five years, consumers have also chosen to have more hot meals during the day, with more consumers having hot breakfasts (+1.4 percentage points) and hot lunches (+3 percentage points) than in 2019 (Kantar Usage).
The data shows that consumers are more likely to choose mince or cheaper cuts as a key ingredient in their meal, rather than primary cuts, due to the cost-of-living crisis according to AHDB retail and consumer insight Manager Vanessa Adamson.
Trends also show the cost-of-living crisis has pushed more consumers towards alternative meat cuts to save money, with people making more versatile, nutrient rich Italian and Indian dishes featuring meat for the whole family.
Pork continues to be a popular choice for lunch and evening meals. Sausages and cooked meats are the most frequently consumed and have grown in share since 2019. Italian dishes with pork, such as carbonara and pasta bake, have also seen growth year on year.
AHDB’s Retail and Consumer Insight Manager, Vanessa Adamson, said: “There is a real opportunity for red meat growth within in-home and family dining if we continue to highlight meaty meals that are easy to prepare and part of a healthy balanced diet.
“Campaigns like AHDB’s ‘Let’s Eat Balanced’ can help promote consumer awareness and foster long-term positive attitudes towards naturally produced British red meat and dairy.”