Expert shares insights on American eating trends

by Deborah Silver on 11/29/04 for Meatingplace.com

Harry Balzer, vice president with NPD Group, is one of the nation's leading experts on food trends. He's been tracking and analyzing what, where and why Americans eat what they do for more than 25 years. In an interview with Meatingplace.com, he discussed some of his recent findings.

Meatingplace.com: What do you see as the biggest shift in how Americans perceive their diets?

Balzer: In my opinion, the low-carb craze has run its course, but all of the recent diet fads — low-carb, low-fat, you name it — signal something larger: a shift in the way Americans see themselves. In the 1980s, Americans saw dieting as a way of keeping fit. Today, for the first time in my experience, Americans see themselves as not being fit.

Meatingplace.com: What are the most important factors behind what consumers eat?

Balzer: Time, money and health — probably in that order. But consumers are also looking for new flavors and new ways to serve known products, particularly in take-out or convenience foods.

Meatingplace.com: What are the major growth segments in the foodservice industry?

Balzer: Quick-service still dominates. Seven out of 10 meals in this country are bought at fast-food restaurants. Fast-casual also continues to grow. Those two segments do what we want them to do — make mealtime easier for us at low cost.

Meatingplace.com: How does meat fit into that picture?

Balzer: Steak is one of the top foods in our diet, and it will always be popular. Americans consider steak an affordable luxury and are willing to pay for it. Of course, retail now sells lower-priced cuts of meat that are high in quality, and there are steakhouses to accommodate every income level. Still, the number one item ordered by Americans when they dine out is a burger. Hamburgers account for 17 percent of men's restaurant orders, 13 percent of women's.

Editor's note: For more insight from Balzer, see the December issue of Meat Marketing & Technology magazine.

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