The stat: 9 in 10 Americans (93%) plan to cook at home as much or more in the next 12 months compared with the previous year, according to HelloFresh’s State of Home Cooking report.

• Some of that shift is due to financial reasons: 85% of those planning to cook more often cited the economy as a primary reason.
• Health is also a motivating factor for 81% of consumers looking to make more of their own meals.

What HelloFresh is doing about it: While the findings obviously benefit meal kit purveyor HelloFresh, the company isn’t slowing down. It plans to invest $70 million to broaden its menu offerings and use AI to deliver more personalized and useful recommendations.

• Most of that money will go toward doubling its menu options to over 100 per week—a move that HelloFresh hopes will allow it to capitalize on consumers’ desire to eat at home as well as their craving for novelty.
• Those menus will feature larger portions and higher-quality proteins, in deference to shoppers’ search for value and nutrition.

Our take: The shift to eating at home creates a prime opportunity for meal kit providers like Hello Fresh, provided they can make the case to consumers that their menus offer value for money—while also satisfying their seemingly-unquenchable desire for protein.To that end, these companies could highlight their budget-friendly options, as well as put the nutritional value of their meals front-and-center, while emphasizing the convenience that such kits provide.

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