Gen Z turning to social media for meal planning as cookbooks become a thing of the past
Nearly three quarters of Gen Z source their meal inspiration from social media – twice the number who rely on cookbooks. Shifting away from traditional sources, three quarters of 18–27 year olds get their recipes from platforms like TikTok and Instagram, revolutionising how people decide what to eat.
Two thirds of the 1,000 Gen Z adults surveyed follow food content creators on social media. Four in ten young adults believe influencers are the most trusted source for food content – ahead of celebrity chefs and cooking channels. In contrast, only 32 per cent turn to a traditional cookbook and 45 per cent chat with family and friends.
The research, commissioned by Publicis Commerce, also found many are turning inspiration into action, with 42 per cent buying ingredients via social media content. It comes after a writer claimed 'I tried butter from Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and big brands - and the winner is not Lurpak'.
'I accidentally named baby after dog food brand and I don't know what to do'
Discount codes and affiliate links were big motivators, while speed and convenience matter too, as 21 per cent claim this way of buying made the shopping process quicker.
Others said it saves them searching for ingredients elsewhere (37 per cent), going out to the shop to buy it (30 per cent) and writing a list (22 per cent).
It also emerged the typical week sees Gen Z spend three hours and 54 minutes consuming food related content on social media.
Steve Ricketts, chief commerce officer at Publicis Media, said: "The way Gen Z shops is clearly being shaped by what they see online, with platforms like TikTok turning food content into an easy way to purchase.
"For brands, that means the time between inspiration and buying is shrinking and the implications for how people shop are huge.
"We help clients navigate that change, making sure their products are discoverable and shoppable in the right moments."
The study also suggests that this new shopping trend could be fostering a generation of home cooks – with a third confessing they seldom eat out due to lack of funds and time.
While 52 per cent enjoy cooking and discovering new recipes, and 42 per cent prefer to prepare quality meals at home rather than dining at a restaurant or café.
However, 24 per cent would struggle to come up with meal ideas without the help of social media and 63 per cent credit it for encouraging them to try flavours and dishes they'd never have considered before.
The survey, conducted by OnePoll, also revealed the social media food trends people have tried cooking and eating, including bubble tea (33 per cent), roast dinner wraps (24 per cent) and pancake cereal (20 per cent).
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