Baby Boomers Favorite Food and their Culture

Born between 1946 and 1964, baby boomers represent around 23% of America’s population and possibly possess the largest spending power of any generation.  With a considerable age gap between the older boomers, aged between 65 and 73, and the younger boomers, most of whom still work, this is a large group and not a one-size-fits-all group. And as such, there is a difference in what the older and younger boomers are looking for, mainly when it comes to the food and beverages they desire.

It is hard for some baby boomers to understand the struggles encountered by the younger generations, like buying a house, finding the right job, and being eco-friendly, because back in their day, these struggles weren’t as prominent.

What do foods baby boomers want?

Thanks to the Boomers, brands like Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, and McDonald’s, to name a few, have become stamped in food culture and history.

Baby boomers are aware of getting old and the need to fuel their bodies and minds with healthy feel-good foods. As such, they tend to look for restaurants that serve healthy food choices, for example, foods that are high in whole grains, protein, and calcium or low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

But even though the baby boomers are looking for healthy options, they aren’t prepared to sacrifice flavor, so they are looking for foods that are flavorsome yet still healthy and nutritious. They seek citrus ingredients as a replacement for sodium and flavors like those mushrooms and soy sauce to help give their food more taste without the need for added fat and salt.

Younger baby boomers

Typically, the younger boomers enjoy trying new foods and discovering new tastes. They grew up when brands were considered important and, as such, tend to stay loyal to a particular brand when they find a brand they like/enjoy. Whereas the older boomers are far less brand focused and are generally more open to trying new brands and labels. That said, the boomers at the top end of the scale (70’s) may be less willing to try something new and will generally want to stick with what they know and trust.

Many boomers are parents to the millennials and enjoy spending time with their children – having meals with them and so on, and consider themselves an essential part of a multi-generational market. But typically, there are many foods that boomers love that millennials don’t!

 

Living healthy

 

The baby boomers were the first group in America to recognize that the food they were eating either in their homes or in restaurants was bland and lacking in diversity and flavor, and decided to do something about it, this led at times to too much sugar, fat, and salt being added, or to foods that were high in cholesterol.

Today, boomers have a desire to live healthily and want flavorsome foods, and have shifted to fresh food, including whole grains and other types of meat aside from beef. They have a desire for intense flavor, which is partly driven by the fact that as we age (over 50 years of age), our taste buds become duller, and this is one of the reasons they seek foods that will tantalize their taste buds.  For example, flavors like ginger and pepper. According to a poll conducted by the good food services, baby boomers’ favorite food is ‘Seafood.’

Typically, more than any other generation, baby boomers are more likely to eat out in restaurants.

Foods we can thank baby boomers for!

 

Baby boomers have influenced food trends since the day they were born!

Most baby boomers grew up eating foods such as meatloaf, potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. We can also thank baby boomers for things like processed foods, T.V. dinners, and chain restaurants.

We can also thank the baby boomers for the rise in local farmers’ markets, which were once only visited by serious ‘foodies’ and restaurant chefs. The rise of the green market was just the type of thing the baby boomer sought as their need for healthier options such as fruit and vegetables increased, along with the desire for artisan cheeses, meats, and wines.

Conclusion

 

Born between 1946 and 1964, baby boomers represent around 23% of the population of America. Baby boomers are aware of getting old and the need to fuel their bodies and minds with healthy feel-good foods, and as such, they tend to look for restaurants that serve healthy food choices. But even though they seek healthy choices, they aren’t prepared to sacrifice flavor, so they are looking for foods that are flavorsome yet still healthy and nutritious. Boomers want flavorful foods and have shifted to food that is fresh, including whole grains and other types of meat aside from beef.

References : https://www.gfs.com/ https://seniors.lovetoknow.com/