What American Families are
Cooking and Eating
DECEMBER 2016
ENTERTAINING TRENDS
W
hile December has traditionally been the peak time of year to
eat, drink, and make merry with friends, neighbors, and family,
more of us are now entertaining year-round. A stronger economy,
increased fascination with food and cooking, and the evolving
cultural shifts of younger generations appear to be expanding the
breadth and depth of the occasions when we entertain guests at
home. In this issue of the Allrecipes Measuring Cup Trend Report,
we take a look at the attitudes and behaviors of home cooks about
hosting gatherings in their homes. We compare differences in
entertaining styles between demographic groups, identify key
entertaining occasions, the influence of social media, and assess
motivations and behaviors behind trends in home entertaining.
INSIGHT #1
Millennials  Parties
Who doesn’t love a party? As we found
out, almost no one. When Allrecipes
researched home cooks’ attitudes and
behaviors about home entertaining,
millennials turned out to be the
real party animals. Compared with
older home cooks, more than half of
millennials (56%) surveyed say they
LOVE hosting parties and entertaining
at home. GenXers come close rivaling
this partying spirit, with 51% of this
group reporting to “love celebrating
holidays and events.” Boomers are the
most sporadic entertainers, as well as
the group with the highest “avoidance”
response. We also discovered cooks
living in urban locations are more
likely say they love entertaining (58%).
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
How do you feel about hosting parties
and gatherings at your home?
Millennials GenXers Baby Boomers
AVOID IT
7%
10%
21%
LOVE IT!
Like it... sometimes
37%
56%
39%
51%
52%
27%
December 2016 / Entertaining Trends
1
INSIGHT #2
35%
How often
do you hostagatherings
at your
home?Together
There’s
Always
Reason
to Get
How often do you host
gatherings at your home?
35%
26%
29%
24%
Millennials
Non-millennials
19%
13%
8%
Monthly +
Every few
months
Occasionally
(4 or fewer
times per year)
A few times
per year
4%
8%
Rarely/never
PARTIES
JANUARY
1
New Year’s
JANUARY
17
Karen’s bday
FEBRUARY
14
Valentine’s
MARCH
17
St. Patrick’s
APRIL
24
Just because
MAY
5
Cinco de Mayo
JUNE
21
Solstice
JULY
4
Fourth
JULY
7
Ryan’s bday
AUGUST
28
Summer’s end
Given their affection for gathering with friends and family, it’s no surprise more than a
third of millennials are hosting parties monthly—and more than two-thirds are hosting
gatherings every few months. The volume of gatherings has experienced a dramatic
uptick in the past year, with a third of all home cooks—and half of millennials—
indicating they are hosting gatherings more frequently this year compared with a
year ago. The key reasons influencing more frequent gatherings are tied to cooks’ life
stages, living environments, and their passion for cooking.
How has your frequency of hosting gatherings
changed compared with one year ago?
Millennials
Non-millennials
More often
49%
45%
6%
Overall Reasons for Increased
Entertaining at Home
24%
44%
Same
45%
64%
55%
Less often
12%
Larger or remodeled home,
kitchen, or yard
More/new reasons to celebrate
(births, weddings, graduations)
Enjoy cooking and entertaining
more at home
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
December 2016 / Entertaining Trends
2
Love to Cook?
Invite Friends for Dinner!
INSIGHT #3
When it comes to finding a reason to have friends over, it appears no reason at
all is the most popular reason to entertain—59% of home cooks report hosting
casual get-togethers at their home in the past year. Older home cooks are more
likely to host holiday and special celebrations, while younger cooks are more
likely than older cooks to have friends over for sporting events, TV and movie
nights, and group events.
You are
invited!
...
Just
because.
Occasions Hosted at Home in the Past Year
Millennials Non-millennials
56%
61%
59%
50%
Casual
Get
Togethers
Holiday
Parties
& Meals
51% 54%
42%
Special
Celebrations
34%
Dinner
Parties
35%
41%
29%
Sporting
Events
38%
22%
22%
Movie/TV
Night
Game
Nights
29%
19%
14%
Group
Events
15%
18%
13%
Religious
Themed
Celebrations Gatherings
Cost and Time Are Biggest
Barriers to Hosting Parties
INSIGHT #4
Younger cooks may have the largest appetites for hosting
gatherings, but they are also the most likely to be on restrictive
diets, limited food budgets, and with less space and time to
prepare food and clean the house. Younger cooks are also more
likely to find challenges coming up with dishes to feed a crowd
and creative cocktail ideas.
+ $
Challenges for Hosting Parties
Millennials GenXers Baby Boomers
63% 62%
61% 64%
62%
53%
42%
41%
58%
48%
54%
53%
38%
46%
34%
40%
30%
16%
Food Costs
Kitchen Space
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
Time to Clean
Home
Time to Prepare
Food
Crowd Pleasing
Dishes
Alcoholic
Beverage Ideas
December 2016 / Entertaining Trends
3
INSIGHT #5
Let’s Party!
Holidays continue to be a major reason to get together.
When it comes to one of the “Big Three” holidays
(Thanksgiving, December holidays, and Easter), it
appears younger cooks often defer to their parents
to host these big meals with their extended family,
or share the meal with friends (e.g., Friendsgiving).
Younger cooks are far more likely to just get together
with friends, or host cultural celebrations such as
VS.
St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mardi Gras, and Halloween,
where the gathering may be focused on smaller groups, or only
appetizers and drinks.
Occasions for Hosting Parties
New Year’s Eve
40%
42%
39%
Super Bowl
Valentine’s Day
20%
11%
54%
Easter/Passover
Cinco de Mayo
Mother’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day
15%
9%
Memorial Day
Mardi Gras
9%
6%
Father’s Day
Millennials Non-millennials
28%
35%
13%
7%
34%
31%
18%
21%
29%
25%
36%
41%
Fourth of July
Labor Day
16%
20%
Halloween
21%
35%
50%
60%
Thanksgiving
45%
December Holidays
58%
Top Recipes on Allrecipes.com the Week of New Year’s Eve (based on volume)
Good OldFashioned
Pancakes

13K cooks made it
8,536 reviews
Broiled
Lobster Tails

420 made it
222 reviews
Buffalo
Chicken Dip

5K made it
3,270 reviews
Basic Crêpes

4K made it
2,125 reviews
Crab Cakes III

291 made it
131 reviews
Slow Cooker
Spicy BlackEyed Peas

638 made it
433 reviews
Mouthwatering
Stuffed
Mushrooms

4K made it
2,610 reviews
Waffles I

5K made it
2,586 reviews
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
December 2016 / Entertaining Trends
4
INSIGHT #6
What’s Key for Winning Party Recipes?
Food, guests, and music are “must have” ingredients for every
successful party. But what’s the magic sauce—what matters most—
to home cooks selecting party recipes? Allrecipes’ research reveals
“easy-to-find ingredients” and “lots of positive ratings and reviews”
top the list for all age groups, but particularly for millennials. This
group is 19% more likely than everyone else to want party recipes
with easy-to-find ingredients. Millennials also choose recipes based
on social status reflecting the wisdom of the crowd, especially
recipes that have lots of photos and reviews from peers describing
the dish as a party winner.
Important Criteria When Selecting Party Recipes
38%
Millennials Non-millennials
32%
33%
33%
22%
31%
21%
27%
18%
23%
Easy-to-find Positive Ratings Photos of “Party Success” Can be Made
Ingredients
& Reviews
Finished Dish
Reviews
Ahead of Time
26%
25%
15%
Ingredients
on Sale
25%
13%
12%
How-to
Video
Part of
Recommended
Menu
Top Recipes on Allrecipes.com the Week of Christmas (based on volume)
The Best
Rolled Sugar
Cookies

3K made it
7,216 reviews
Chef John’s
Perfect Prime
Rib

2K made it
545 reviews
Easy Sugar
Cookies

2K made it
4,629 reviews
Amazingly
Good Eggnog

987 made it
707 reviews
Hot Buttered
Rum Batter

370 made it
262 reviews
World’s Best
Lasagna

18K made it
10,182 reviews
Sugar Cookie
Icing

3K made it
2,463 reviews
Yummy
Sweet Potato
Casserole

4K made it
2,127 reviews
Easiest Peanut
Butter Fudge

2K made it
1,704 reviews
Christmas Breakfast
Sausage Casserole

899 made it
1,224 reviews
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
December 2016 / Entertaining Trends
5
INSIGHT #7
The Periodic Table of Successful Party Elements
Party success doesn’t require
as many elements as the 117
listed on the current periodic
table. For party people of all
ages, it’s really all about just
two things: food and drinks
with significant “crowd appeal.”
Millennial party hosts stand out
as particularly eager to please
their friends, impress guests with
their personal cooking skills,
and prompt conversation with
unusual party dishes.
INSIGHT #8
95%
95% 92%
82%
Importance When Selecting
Recipes for Parties
Millennials Non-millennials
DISH
DRINK
CROWD-PLEASER 89% 83% 83% 67% 89% 76% 80% 57%
DISH
DRINK
UNIQUE
DISH
DRINK
IMPRESSIVE
I  Like Home Entertaining
What’s the best part of hosting
gatherings? Allrecipes’ research
indicates that across all age
groups, the key reason is to
hang out with friends and
family. Enthusiastic cooks
also share that preparing new
dishes, desserts, beverages,
and cocktails are other top
reasons for hosting parties
and gatherings. Inventive
millennials and family-focused
GenXers consider cooking,
baking and cocktail-making
the top incentives for home
entertaining. In fact, millennials
stand out as over-achievers on
all aspects of party enjoyment.
Favorite Parts of Hosting Gatherings
Millennials GenXers Baby Boomers
91%
94%
94%
84%
Seeing Friends & Family
79%
76%
63%
Preparing Desserts
78%
53%
Sharing Beverages
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
79%
72%
55%
Decorating Home
84%
85%
70%
Preparing New Dishes
75%
58%
30%
Selecting Games & Activities
100
100
80
80
December 2016 / Entertaining Trends
6
INSIGHT #9
BFF to Party Hosts? Online Inspiration
With smartphones a ubiquitous part of everyone’s life, tapping this online assistant
to help with all aspects of party planning is a given. But which aspects? According to
Allrecipes’ 2016 Holiday Entertaining survey panel, all ages are tapping into online
resources for inspiration for main and side dishes, appetizers and desserts, plus drinks.
Younger hosts are tapping the wealth of information and convenience of the web as a
source of ideas for entertainment, party themes, and décor, plus shopping assistance.
Online Resources used to help with Gatherings and Parties
Millennials Non-millennials
50%
56%
Entrée, Side &
Salad Recipes
47%
51%
Appetizers &
Desserts
Decorating
Ideas
Streaming Movies
and TV
Drink Ideas
(non-alcoholic)
31%
Online
Grocery Delivery
Online Music
/Playlists
31%
14%
Online
Beverage Delivery
Alcoholic
Drink Ideas
30%
23%
Online Pizza
Ordering
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
34%
27%
Party Themes
19%
29%
20%
26%
12%
23%
18%
8%
16%
11%
6%
December 2016 / Entertaining Trends
7
Methodology
Data cited in this Measuring Cup Report is derived from an external independent
panel fielded in November 2016, which consisted of 1,519 U.S.-based participants.
All respondents view food content online, cook at home multiple nights per week,
and are the primary grocery shopper for their household.
Please Contact
About Allrecipes
206–436–7416
 [email protected]
allrecipes.com/cook/esmee
 @EsmeeWilliams
Allrecipes, the world’s largest food-focused social network, receives more than one
billion visits annually from home cooks who inspire and inform cooking through
shared recipes, photos, reviews, collections, profiles, and videos. Since its launch in
1997, the Seattle-based social site has served as a dynamic, indispensable resource
for cooks of all skill levels seeking trusted recipes, entertaining ideas, everyday
and holiday meal solutions, and cooking instruction. Allrecipes is a global, multiplatform brand with 19 sites, three mobile apps, and 15 eBooks serving 23 countries
in 12 languages. Allrecipes magazine, recognized by MIN as the 2013 Magazine
Launch of the year, boasts a readership of 7.6 million cooks.
Esmee Williams
Allrecipes
Vice President, Consumer
& Brand Strategy
About Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corporation (NYSE:MDP; www.meredith.com) is the leading media and
marketing company serving American women. Meredith features multiple wellknown national brands—including Allrecipes, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha
Stewart Living, Parents, Family Circle, My Weddings, Shape, American Baby and
Every Day with Rachael Ray—along with local television brands in fast-growing
markets. Meredith is the industry leader in creating content in key consumer interest
areas such as home, family, food, health and wellness and self-development.
Meredith uses multiple distribution platforms—including print, television, digital,
mobile, tablets, and video—to give consumers content they desire and to deliver the
messages of its advertising and marketing partners.
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
December 2016 / Entertaining Trends
8