Americans have a new recipe for home cooking—fast, fresh, and just heat and eat! Armed with a new set of food product criteria and experienced in restaurant fare, Americans are marching back into the kitchen. In 2002, 71% of meal preparers said they made last night’s meal at home—an increase of 7% in just one year—and one-third used convenience foods, up 8%. Conversely, fewer people said they ate at a restaurant or brought take-out food home (MSI, 2003a).
Consumer restaurant spending in 2002 grew…