Consumer Corner: Canadian Baby Boomers - Part 2: Consumption Habits of Boomers by Meal Occasions

• The number of in-home breakfast increase with age.
• Compared to 2001, in 2010, Front End Boomers are eating more breakfast meals away from home.
• Ready to eat (RTE) cereal is the top breakfast food for Back End Boomers, but becomes second choice for Front. End Boomers. Front End Boomers eat more toast, fruits, eggs, hot cereal, yogurt and bacon.

Back End Boomers			Front End Boomers			Seniors
RET Cereal	92.2		Toasted Bread	100.4		Toasted Bread	123.8
Toasted Bread	75.1		RTE Cereal	90.5		RTE Cereal	121.8
Fruit	43.8		Fruit	51.4		Fruit	80.7
Eggs	23.7		Eggs	29.1		Hot Cereal	48.3
Hot Cereal	21.7		Hot Cereal	26.6		Eggs	30
Sandwiches	15.2		Yogurt	15.2		Sandwiches	17.6
Yogurt	12.5		Sandwiches	13.1		Non-Toasted Bread	16.3
Bagels	9.6		Bacon	10.6		Yogurt	11
Bacon	8.7		Non-Toasted Bread	9.5		Bacon	7.3
Non-toasted Bread	7		Bagels	7.8		Muffins	6.5

• At in-home breakfast, coffee, juice and tea consumption increases with age while consumption of milk decreases.
• At breakfast consumed Away From Home, Front End Boomers are more likely to eat bacon, eggs, and potatoes and bread while Back End Boomers eat more sandwiches and sweet baked goods.
• At breakfast, Front End Boomers are more likely than Back End Boomers to consume items with special labels indicating “all natural”, “cholesterol free”, “low fat” and artificial sweeteners.
• Boomers who eat RTE Cereal pay more attention to special labels at breakfast, such as “low fat/ diet/ light”, “whole grain” and “vitamins added”.

• Front End Boomers eat almost 10% more in-home lunches than Back End Boomers and the number of lunch meals prepared and eaten in-home increases with age.
• Sandwiches dominate the in-home lunch. Soup and fruit show a considerable increase in consumption moving from Back End to Front End Boomers.
• In carried-from-home lunches, Back End Boomers are more likely than Front End to bring healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, yogurt and salads.
• Per capita consumption of tea, coffee, milk and carbonated soft drinks at lunch jumps for the Front End Boomers compared to the Back End Boomers.
• Adults are drinking milk less often at lunch in 2010 compared to individuals of the same age in 2001.

• Special labels addressing fat content are the leading special labels appearing at lunch.

• The share of dinners that are prepared and eaten in-home is about the same for all Boomers, and increases for seniors.
• As restaurant importance is weakens among boomers, eating more Home Meal Replacement (HMR) tend to increase.
• The number of dinner meals prepared and eaten in-home increases slightly with age, while away-from-home dinners decline.
• When preparing a weekday evening meal, taste and nutrition are most important.
• Dessert share of meal occasions tend to increase amongst Boomers, and especially seniors.
• Combination Dishes and Pasta are eaten more often at dinner by Back End Boomers. The protein choice at dinner for Boomers is chicken, but is replaced by beef for seniors.
• Front End Boomers and seniors eat more vegetables and potatoes as side dishes at dinner, compared to Back End Boomers.
• When away-from-home, Boomers show some indulgence in ‘fast food’ in addition to eating vegetables and salads.
• Boomers, especially Front End like dessert. Yogurt as a dessert is growing amongst both boomers and seniors.

• Boomers eat the most snacks.
• In-home snacking increase with age, while away-from-home snack decreases.
• Front End Boomers snack on more fruits, yogurt and nuts.
• Older consumers, not surprising, are more concerned about healthy snacks.
• Back End Boomers are more likely to choose better for you snacks, such as fruit and yogurt when snacking at work.
• Morning snacking decreases while evening snacking increases with age.
• Supermarkets, discount and club stores are the most important sources of snacks for boomers.

• Eating more better-for-you foods, such as yogurt, RTE cereal, hot cereal, fish and vegetables.
• Eating fewer family friendly, less nutritious foods, such as waffles, pancakes, hot dogs and French fries.

• National Eating Trends (NET) which tracks consumption behavior relating to retail and restaurants
• CREST Canada which collects information about purchase of prepared food and beverages at restaurants
• Health Track Canada which adds attitudes and diet status to NET data base
• Snack Track, which tracks the consumption and sourcing of snack foods by individuals

Other Documents in the Series