Last Night‟s Dinner Survey
Ireland – Executive Summary
January 2012
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture
AIDAN COTTER
Growing
the success
CHIEF
EXECUTIVE
BORD BIA
of Irish28food
& horticulture
JANUARY
2009
Research Partner: OI Research
Last Night’s Dinner Summary
Note: OI Research monitored over n= 4,000 evening meals/dinners in n=1,003 households over a one week period from October 24th to
October 30th 2011. This summary provides a brief overview of some of the findings from this study but further details and information is
available on request by contacting [email protected]
What Ireland Eats for Dinner
It‟s official, Ireland‟s favourite style of dinner is a classic “meat and two veg” which accounts for almost
1 in 6 of last night‟s dinners. In fact, 6 in 10 people in Ireland had a classic meat and two veg dinner
in the past week.
In terms of specific dishes spaghetti Bolognese and Roast Chicken dinners top the poll; with
Spaghetti Bolognese a clear number one for kids featuring in 8% of all kids meals last night.
Pizza‟s are one favourite weekend treat meal and pizza is the top meal for kids at weekends.
•
•
There are age-old traditions firmly ingrained in our evening meal choices;
Fish consumption peaks markedly on a Friday.
Meat & Two veg and specifically roast beef dominates the Sunday menu.
•
•
40% of all evening meals last night featuring potatoes and that‟s not including chips or wedges which
featured in a further 16% of meals.
In fact almost 8 in 10 Irish people had potatoes with dinner at least once in the past week.
Other carbs (Rice, Pasta, noodles, Spaghetti) feature in 27% of meals and where eaten in the
last week by 7 in 10 Irish people.
•
•
25% of meals include bread as an accompaniment, with Garlic Bread and White Sliced pan
accounting for half of this.
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture
Last Night’s Dinner Summary
Note: OI Research monitored over n= 4,000 evening meals/dinners in n=1,003 households over a one week period from December 5th 2011
to December 9th 2011. This summary provides a brief overview of some of the findings from this study but further details and information is
available on request by contacting [email protected]
Beef accounts for 56% of “Red Meat dinners” and features in 22% of evening
meals overall.
Mince is the leading cut with 50% followed by steak with 23%.
•
Despite the prevalence of sausage and bacon for Irish breakfasts, they only
feature as an evening meal ingredient in 3% and 4% of meals respectively.
64% of the cheese used at Irelands' dinner tables is cheddar.
Fish was eaten by 44% of Irish people as part of dinner in the past week with 6
in 10 of these meals featuring „naked‟ unbreaded/un-battered fish.
60% of people added salt to their evening meal and 51% added pepper.
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture
Last Night’s Dinner Summary
18% of adults had a hot drink during or after dinner of which 65% was tea and
25% had an alcohol drink. On Saturday 40% have alcohol with dinner
Soft drinks feature at 17% for both kids and adults.
1 in 3 kids have milk with their dinner – the number one choice.
•
•
Starters are included as part of adult‟s evening meals 9% of the time and 7% of
the time for kids.
Almost half of these starters is soup with a further 29% account for a salad.
•
Desserts (including biscuits/sweets) are enjoyed after dinner at 25% of adult
evening meals and 31% of kids meals overall.
This is higher at the weekends, rising to 40% and 52% respectively on a
Sunday.
Ice Cream accounts for over 4 in 10 kids desserts and 2 in 10 adults
dessert.
•
•
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture
Last Night’s Dinner Summary
Dinner Dynamics
Cooking dinner from scratch using fresh ingredients is a growing trend with 4 in 10 claiming to do so
more often nowadays.
Half of adult meals are prepared totally from scratch but only a quarter of kids meals are.
•
18% of adults ate alone on average across the week and this peaks on a Wednesday and Thursday
at 22%.
On average we spend 41 minutes preparing dinner, but spend 53 mins on average on a Sunday.
Only 36% of those with kids always eat together as a family, with a further 48% doing so when they
can.
8 in 10 of us eat dinner between 6 and 8pm in the evening.
5% of midweek dinners are enjoyed with friends from outside the family, but at weekends it is 10%.
Again in line with tradition, almost 1 in 5 households heave a family member from outside the home
for Sunday dinner.
35% of all evening meals are eaten while watching TV, when having Pizza this figure is 51%.
The trend toward at home dining instead of going out continues – only 18% eat out week or more
often and half of all Irish adults claim to be eating out less often.
24% have a takeaway at home weekly or more often.
•
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture
In Summary...
…we are quite a traditional bunch when it
comes to evening meals at home. There is a
vast amount of information available in this
study, so if you want to find out more, please
contact your Sector Manager or email
[email protected].
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture