Say it isn’t so.
Rainbow bagels are out -- just as you were getting to the front of the line to buy one. According to millennials, the group that makes these decisions for the rest of us, the bright, cheerly, full-of-hope breakfast staple is no longer hip enough .
At least that’s what their surfing habits are telling us.
According to an interesting new Food Trends Report from Google called, "The Rise of Functional Food," millennials are spending quite a bit of time online looking for what to eat, how to prepare it and if it is good for them. (Rainbow bagels aren't making the cut).
So what's hot in food searches? Here is a look at some of the data Google compiled.
So what are millennials searching for?
Here are a few of the top searches that have been on the rise so far this year.
Turmeric
Jackfruit
Cauliflower Rice
Sourdough Bread
Funfetti
Vegan Donuts
Pho
Ramen
Bibimbap
Under a catagory called “Bite-Sized Snacks,” the millennials did not disappoint with searches for the ever-popular Mug Cake and edible cookie dough. Top associated key word searches were Baby Boomer favorites “chocolate,” “vanilla” and “peanut butter.”
The “Pasta Comeback” category is trending wildly, thank heavens. Rigatoni tops the list, with tortellini and linguine close behind. According to Google, “Americans are much more likely to seek out rigatoni on weekends (+29%) than they are on weekdays.” Apparently, despite the resurgence in popularity, no one cares about the “unleavened dough of a durum wheat flour mixed with water or eggs and formed into sheets or various shapes” on Tuesdays. (We have the internet, too.)
Why are they looking for it?
The searches range from best food for acid reflux to which ones make your skin look great. According to the report, a number of the “top trending foods over the last two years are "healthy" ingredients like turmeric, apple cider vinegar, avocado oil, bitter melon, and kefir.” The focus of people's diets “is less about eliminating foods than about adding them," the report says.
What wouldn't they touch with a 10-foot bread stick?
These searches are so last year: (ranked by reduced number of searches)
Under "Falling Stars": Rainbow Bagel, Vanilla Bean Paste, Dutch Baby Pancake, Mulligan Stew, Buffalo Chicken, Fries, Chocolate Slices
Under "Sustained Decliners": Gluten Free Cupcakes, Evaporated Cane Juice, Wheat Free Bread, Bacon Cupcakes, Bacon Cinnamon Rolls
When do they search?
It’s Monday and it’s mobile. Google says those “what-do-I-eat” questions are answered at least half the time by someone using a smartphone to find the information. And, perhaps because you are trying to answer your “what-do-I-eat” questions so you can plan your dining adventures for the week, Monday is the peak day for looking for that information. By Friday, your done with it, Google says.
Once they find it, then what?
So the information has been searched for and found, then what? They look for info on how to prepare it. YouTube is the destination for many when it comes to how to cook. And lots of millennials are going there. On a “deeper dive” into the data, Google researchers showed the top five videos about ways to use turmeric have a combined 3.9 million views.
What are some of the most searched food topics by category?
For recipes:
1. Waffle recipe
2. Sugar cookie recipe
3. Brownie recipe
4. Chocolate cake recipe
5. Cupcake recipes
6. Cod recipes
7. Pie crust recipe
8. Crab cake recipe
9. Granola recipe
10. Vanilla cake recipe
11. Bone broth recipe – would never have seen that one coming
For how-tos
1. How to cut a mango
2. How to bake bacon – seriously?
3. How to make cake pops
4. How to cut a pineapple
5. How to make ice cream
6. How to cook brown rice
7. How to soften brown sugar
8. How to cook steak
9. How to make frosting
10. How to cook crab legs
For health benefits
1. Benefits of apple cider vinegar
2. Benefits of coconut oil
3. Health food stores near me
4. Benefits of cinnamon
5. Bone broth benefits – again with the bone broth
6. Healthy cereal
7. Fenugreek benefits
8. Healthiest vegetables
9. Grapefruit benefits
10. Is popcorn healthy
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