Daily Research News Online no. 1325 - Family Monitor Research from MORI/Nestle

Family Monitor Research from MORI/Nestle

December 17 2001

The study shows fascinating changes in the role of food and cooking in modern lifestyles, including a lack of confidence in the kitchen, an increasing reliance on convenience food, and a significant minority of people who are too busy for breakfast and who skip lunch at work.

The research has found that some things don't change, however, with women still doing most of the work in the kitchen, most families still sitting down together for Sunday lunch, and the great majority still cooking the nation's favourite meal - the traditional Christmas lunch.

Cooking has become a star-studded occupation. There are dozens of celebrity chefs, but who actually influences the way people cook? And where do they look for recipes? The survey found that 20% of respondents claim Jamie Oliver has influenced their cooking. He is particularly popular among people with children under five, with no fewer than 30% in this group naming Jamie as an influence. Jamie is equally popular in the North and the South of the country.

Ainsley Harriott comes second with 15% saying he has influenced their cooking - and he is the most influential of all among ethnic minorities. Delia is third in the poll, despite her years as the UK's leading TV cook, while Gary Rhodes comes fourth - but is considerably more popular in the North (11%) than in the South (4%). However, over half (55%) of respondents say celebrity chefs have not influenced their cooking at all - with no fewer than 66% of people over 55 in this category.

Traditional gender roles still persist in cooking though. The survey found that most men still don't pull their weight in the kitchen Two in five (39%) of respondents who are married or co-habiting say that the woman in the partnership does all the cooking. However, women and men don't seem to agree about this tricky subject. Half of women say they do all the cooking compared to only 30% of men who say their wife or partner does!

Interestingly, MORI has unearthed several new food 'types' in their study:

'Confident cooks'- make up about a quarter of the population. These are the people most likely to say that good food plays an important part in their lives and most enjoy cooking. They are mainly women, over 55 and married.
'Always on the go'ers' - make up about 18% of the population. Single, under 35 and working, these are people who are often too busy for breakfast or lunch - and when they do have time, they'd prefer to do something else rather than cook.
'Kitchen castaways' - make up 13% of the population. Not only do these people not enjoy cooking, but most would describe themselves as incompetent at it. Mostly single, likely to be male, they would do anything else rather than cook.
'Convenience food fans' - make up 17% of the population. Most likely to be women, under 35, balancing family and work, they rely on convenience food which offers a simple solution.
'Foodies' - make up nearly 30% of the population. Most likely to be married, working full-time with academic qualifications, these are the adventurers in the kitchen. Confident and keen to try new ideas, this group likes preparing meals for guests - often to their own recipes.

For the Nestl� Family Monitor study on Eating and Today's Lifestyle, 525 adults, aged 16 plus, were interviewed in home by MORI between 29 September and 10 October 2001. The Nestl� Family Monitor is part of a series of research studies into family life in Britain.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.