Japan Data

Cooking for One: Japanese Singles Tend to Prefer Ready-Made Options

Society Lifestyle

A survey in Japan found that most singles prefer to use store-bought products rather than making their own meals, with only older women showing more of a tendency to cook from scratch.

A JMA Research Institute survey found that 45.0% of single women and 38.7% of single men in Japan prefer to “cook from scratch using basic ingredients.” The survey, conducted in mid-July 2024, targeted 1,200 single men and women aged from 20 to 69. Preference for home cooking among women increased with age, whereas in the case of men, those in their twenties had the highest preferences for home cooking, which declined with age.

Do you cook from scratch?

Those who “make good use of ready-made products” such as frozen foods, retort pouch meals, and premade side dishes accounted for nearly 70% of women and slightly over 70% of men, showing little disparity between genders. However, more than 80% of men in their sixties preferred ready-made options, while less than 60% of women in their sixties did, making them the least likely group to rely on such products.

Do you make good use of ready-made products?

The survey also asked respondents whether they preferred cooking meals from scratch or using store-bought products for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It found that their preference for store-bought products was highest for breakfasts on weekdays and lowest for dinners on days off.

Weekday Breakfasts

Weekend Dinners

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)

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