What Drives Meal Planning Decisions for Kroger Shoppers?

We surveyed Kroger shoppers to uncover what's behind their meal planning habits. The responses reveal a fluid, dynamic process where decisions happen days in advance or in-the-moment at the store, creating multiple windows of opportunity for brands to influence purchase decisions.

These consumer research insights show where meal planning happens, what drives discovery, and how brands can show up at the right moment to influence trial and switching.

Recipes drive trial and brand switching for 2 in 3 households

For most home chefs, it’s challenging to develop new meals from scratch. But following a recipe with a predetermined ingredient list gives shoppers a clear path forward.

When a brand is part of a recipe, the barrier to trial is easier to overcome. Consumers are more willing to experiment when they're buying items that are needed for a meal they already want to make.

Key insight: Recipes reduce friction by turning purchasing into an instruction they can follow instead of a decision they have to make.

The gap is closing between weekly (59%) and daily (39%) planners

With wider availability of convenient options like pickup and delivery, more shoppers are moving away from the weekly grocery trip. Nearly 4 in 10 respondents say they plan their meals daily, signaling a shift from planning to real-time decision-making.

The split between weekly and daily planners fundamentally changes how brands should show up. Weekly planners are building lists in advance, which means they respond to pre-shopping visibility, and promotional messaging. Daily planners are making decisions in the moment, so they need to be discoverable near the point of purchase.

Key insight: With the rise of daily meal planners, brands have more opportunities to show up as list-building can happen several times each week.

Download the Insights and Align Activations to How Shoppers Plan

The way Kroger shoppers build grocery lists is shifting. Download our latest consumer research insights to see which activations help your brand reach and influence meal planners along the path to purchase.