According to surveys conducted on behalf of the Food Industry Association and the American Meat Institute, confirmed that in 2020 cooking and serving of meals at home were the most significant changes as a result of COVID. The proportion of meals cooked at home rose to 89 percent in April 2020 but continued through December attaining 84 percent, consistent with the slow pace of reopening of the economy. Members of the Food Marketing Institute benefitted from this trend by providing meal solutions with an emphasis on convenience.
Online ordering was the second significant change in buying habits among consumers. During COVID restrictions, meat and poultry were ordered through E-commerce with store pick-up the most popular delivery platform. It was determined that 31 percent of consumers ordered meat products online, up 20 percent from 2019. Overall, purchases of meat increased as a proportion of household expenditure in 2020. The surveys showed that 98 percent of U.S. households purchased meat and that demand reflected changes in consumption patterns The lunch-time meal demonstrated significant growth given school closings and work-from-home.