What Healthy Means Across the Generations

February 2017

Many Americans focus on health at the beginning of the new year. February is not only the time when people still embrace their healthy lifestyle resolutions, but it’s also American Heart Month. That means now is an ideal time to ensure your healthier options really live up to their namesake.

What’s considered healthy to your patrons depends upon a number of factors, one being age. Baby boomers (those born between the mid-1940s and mid-1960s) are interested in low-cholesterol, low-sodium and low-carb descriptors. Try our versatile low-sodium products for menu items that appeal to boomers.

Generation Xers (mid-1960s to mid-1970s) seek menu descriptors such as “fresh,” “clean” and “authentic.” Our authentic Chorizo Seasoned Ground Turkey spices up dishes for Gen Xers without adding the fat or calories of beef or pork chorizo options.

Millennials (mid-1970s to mid-1990s) tend to have a greater interest in positive ingredient characteristics as opposed to “free from” menu descriptors. Try Just Perfect™ Handcrafted All Natural Turkey Breast for your millennial diners.

That leaves us with Generation Z. This up-and-coming generation is made up of anyone born since the mid-1990s and accounts for approximately 26% of the U.S. population. According to NPD, Gen Zers are eating more healthily than millennials did at their age. Gen Zers’ taste preferences and definitions of health are quite different from those of older consumers, though. They’re seeking customization so they can be in full control of their meals’ nutritionals. Menu descriptors that convey “real foods” and humane animal treatment are important to them. You can be confident in knowing that all of Butterball’s products bear the American Humane Certified™ (AHC) seal, verifying our commitment to animal welfare.

Butterball turkey is a protein with benefits that resonate across the generations. Whether your operation targets a specific demographic or caters to all of them, we’re here to help you offer a variety of great-tasting, healthy options.

SOURCES

Technomic Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report, 2016.

Technomic Generational Consumer Trend Report, 2016.

Plug into Gen Z diners’ interests, National Restaurant Association, 2016.

Miller, Jenna. 3 Ways Gen Z Will Impact the Food Business, Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, October 2016.

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