We asked NCP panelists about their cooking habits, from meal planning and recipe inspiration to kitchen challenges and favorite go-to dishes. Whether you’re a confident home chef or just trying to get dinner on the table, see what fellow panelists are cooking up!

🍽️ Cooking Habits & Routines

For many panelists, cooking at home is part of everyday life.
– 49% cook every day
– 39% cook a few times a week
– 6% cook a few times a month
– 5% rarely cook
– 1% never cook

Most panelists describe their cooking skills as intermediate.
– 53% intermediate
– 35% advanced
– 7% beginner
– 5% expert/home chef

Dinner is the favorite meal to cook for most panelists.
– 69% dinner
– 22% breakfast
– 9% lunch

💻 Recipe Inspiration

There are so many options for finding recipes, from cookbooks and magazines to websites and social media sites to family and friends. Where do panel members get their recipes?

Most meal inspiration comes from familiar sources.
– 29% family traditions
– 27% online inspiration (blogs, social media, YouTube)
– 22% make things up
– 11% cookbooks
– 11% other (recommendations, TV shows)

How frequently do panel members try new recipes? Most panelists try new recipes at least sometimes:
– 47% sometimes
– 23% often
– 19% rarely
– 9% very often
– 2% never

Trying new things in the kitchen is a mix of adventure and comfort, according to panelists.
– 50% are somewhat adventurous
– 31% stick to familiar meals
– 13% are very adventurous
– 6% rarely try anything new

🍗 Favorite Meals & Cooking Styles

Chicken dishes are the go-to meal for many people.
– 38% chicken-based meals
– 15% beef or pork dishes
– 14% other dishes
– 12% comfort food
– 11% pastas or noodles
– 5% vegetarian or plant-based
– 5% frozen or ready-made meals

Fresh ingredients are a regular part of most meals.
– 41% most of the time
– 28% sometimes
– 26% almost always
– 5% rarely

Quick and simple meals are the most common weeknight cooking style.
– 41% quick and simple
– 32% balanced and healthy
– 21% comfort food
– 4% mostly takeout
– 2% gourmet or creative

Most panelists spend between 30 and 60 minutes cooking dinner.
– 48% 30-60 minutes
– 38% 15-30 minutes
– 8% more than one hour
– 6% under 15 minutes

🍳 Navigating Meals at Home

Home cooking comes with everyday challenges, such as…
– 34% aren’t sure what to make
– 24% cleaning up afterward
– 17% cost of ingredients
– 13% lack of time
– 7% grocery shopping
– 5% limited cooking skills

Meal planning tends to be somewhat flexible for most.
– 40% somewhat planned
– 21% last-minute decisions
– 20% mostly planned
– 13% don’t meal plan
– 6% completely planned

Saving money is the top motivation for cooking at home.
– 38% saving money
– 27% eating healthier
– 13% enjoy cooking
– 12% controlling ingredients
– 5% time with family/friends
– 3% cooking for kids
– 2% trying new foods

⏲️ Kitchen Essentials

We wondered: what appliances are panel members using the most in their kitchens? The stove and oven are still the most-used appliances.
– 71% stove or oven
– 11% air fryer
– 11% microwave
– 4% slow cooker or Instant Pot
– 3% grill

👩‍🍳 Barriers to Home Cooking

We’re also curious about why some panel members don’t cook at home. Here are some of the reasons they gave:
– 38% someone else cooks
– 22% ease of prepared foods
– 16% don’t enjoy cooking
– 11% cooking is too much work
– 7% don’t know how to cook
– 4% don’t have enough time
– 2% prefer takeout or dining out

That’s it for this edition of In The Know! What do you think of the survey results from our panel members? I’d love to hear about how your cooking habits stack up with fellow panel members, let me know in the comments!

Regards,
Taylor

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