Every five years, Produce for Better Health Foundation releases its updated State of the Plate report, a Study on America’s Consumption of Fruit & Vegetables. PBH commissioned consumer research through The NPD Group to use its National Eating Trends database for the year ending May 2014 to examine current consumption of fruit and vegetables in the United States, including consumption levels by age, gender, life cycle, health segmentation, meal occasion and form.Elizabeth Pivonka

The report provides the fruit and vegetable industry, health professionals and consumer intermediary groups with the latest fruit and vegetable consumption trends; updated information on the varying demographics of fruit and vegetable consumers; an overview of consumption levels by lifecycle and eater segment; projected growth of fruit and vegetable consumption for the next five years; and recommendations about what can be done to make the information in the report actionable.

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Trends

Per-capita fruit and vegetable consumption has declined 7 percent over the past five years, primarily driven by decreased consumption of vegetables (-7 percent) and fruit juice (-14 percent). However, there is only a 2 percent decrease in fruit consumption during this same time period if fruit juice is excluded from the overall fruit total.

The overall fruit and vegetable consumption losses are tied to two significant behaviors: a decline in the dinner side dish for vegetables driven by the desire to simplify meals (including side dish salads, which also reduces the use of other salad-related vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers); and reduced consumption of fruit juice at breakfast.

Despite these losses, however, fruit and vegetables are still a cornerstone of the American diet. Vegetables are four of the top five side dishes at the in-home dinner meal, and fruit is second only to candy as a snack.

Shifting Demographics of Fruit & Vegetable Consumers

When looking at age demographics, younger consumers are eating more fruit compared to 2009. Among children ages 2-17, there is a 17 percent increase in fruit consumption, excluding juice. Overall vegetable consumption is down, but store fresh vegetables have grown among children (10 percent) and young adults over the past five years.

While adults ages 50 and older consume the most fruit and vegetables, this group’s double-digit decline was a significant factor in the overall decline of fruit and vegetable consumption since 2009.

A negative generational effect is occurring among these older consumers, which means that those over age 50 are consuming fruit and vegetables less often than their counterparts 10 years ago.

Conversely, a positive generational effect is occurring in those under age 40, meaning they are consuming more fruit and vegetables than their counterparts a decade ago.

Consumption Levels by Lifecycle & Eater Segment

Fruit and vegetable consumption data can be further analyzed to identify if singles, seniors or working women households are eating more or less compared to other lifecycle groups.

Working women (working parents, single female parent and dual income with no children) and traditional family (married with children under 18 years old present; only 1 spouse employed full-time) households are consuming more fruit, but less fruit juice and vegetables, per capita over time.

Only 13 percent of the population are seniors (single or married, male or female head of household, age 65+), yet these households represent 17 percent of all vegetables consumed and 18 percent of all fruit consumed, excluding fruit juice.

Singles (under 65 years old) represent more of the population than seniors, but account for the smallest share of consumption of vegetables or fruit.

NPD also grouped the population into five segments based on varying attitudes. The three consumer segments focused on health account for 60-70 percent of fruit and vegetable eatings, yet only represent half of the total population. All three of these segments, however, have shown the most decline in fruit and vegetable eatings over the last five years.

This is especially disturbing given that people presumably focused either on leading a healthy lifestyle or a health condition appear to be thinking less about fruit or vegetable consumption when it comes to their overall health.

Projected Growth of Fruit & Vegetable Consumption

Considering the aforementioned generational effect, changing life stages and other factors, consumption of total fruit and total vegetables are expected to grow roughly 4 percent, respectively, in the next five years, or roughly the same rate as population growth, resulting in relatively flat per-capita consumption.

Looking at fruit and vegetables subsets, however, there is an expected 9 percent growth in fruit (excluding juice) and an 8 percent growth in fresh vegetables expected in the next five years. Per-capita consumption would be 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

Recommendations to Increase Fruit & Vegetable Consumption

Fruit and vegetable marketers should seize the opportunity to partner with companies who prepare and sell the core food groups most often associated with fruit and vegetables such as beef and poultry protein entrees, salads and Italian dishes.

Yogurt, pizza, poultry sandwiches and Mexican food are also among the fastest growing food items and complement fruit and vegetables nicely.

The health benefits of consuming a variety of fruit and vegetables, varied tastes and textures, and ease of preparation should continue to be emphasized with older consumers as they continue to focus on their overall health and well-being, and their desire to simplify meals.

A final recommendation is to focus on the affordable cost of fruit and vegetables. Since most fruit and vegetables are consumed in the home, it is important to inform consumers that the price of a home-prepared meal is one-third the cost of the average meal way from home.

Encourage price-sensitive consumers to eat more meals at home by showcasing how the purchase of ready-made meals, and other convenience items from the supermarket, are less expensive than eating out.  

“The good news is that we are seeing progress and positive forward-looking trends in fruit and vegetable consumption among consumers under age 40, which includes PBH’s target audience of parents with young children. The efforts of many are paying off,” Elizabeth Pivonka, president and chief executive officer of PBH, said in a statement. “The bad news is that consumer groups traditionally most interested in health and who eat the most fruit and vegetables, including those ages 50 and above, are trending downward in their consumption over time.”

To bring to light additional findings in the 2015 State of the Plate report, PBH will host a one-hour webinar on Tuesday, March 31 from 2-3 p.m. EST. Interested participants can click here to register. The full 2015 State of the Report can be found on the PBHFoundation.org website in the Research section.