36

Cooking Habits in Indonesia: Gen Z Rarely Cooks!

Cooking is a basic skill in life. Not only is it important to meet nutritional needs, it can also reflect a person’s habits and preferences. Each individual has a unique way of cooking, even each generation shows a different pattern. To find out the cooking habits of the Indonesian, Jakpat conducted a survey of 1,223 respondents regarding their kitchen activities.

Cooking Habits

As many as 46% of respondents admit to cook every day, with a higher percentage of Millennials and Gen X than Gen Z. Meanwhile, 23% of Gen Z admit to rarely or even never cooking.

When asked why they rarely or never cook, 47% of respondents answered that someone else has already cooked for them, with Gen Z being the group that gives the most of this answer. Other reasons are a lack of cooking skills (37%) and more practicality buying food outside (27%). Gen X is more likely to answer that it is more practical to buy food than to have to cook it yourself.

Respondents who cook at least once a day to every day also revealed the reason why they cook often. As many as 7 out of 10 respondents admitted that cooking is more cheaper than buying food outside. In addition to the reasons for saving, about 60% of respondents cook for personal satisfaction because they can enjoy food that suits their tastes. Hygiene and health reasons are also a priority for 56% of respondents, with Millennials and Gen X being the most concerned about this. For Gen Z, they often cook to improve their cooking skills.

Kitchen Tools

In the cooking process, the use of kitchen utensils is certainly inseparable. The most frequently used kitchen appliance is the stove, which is used by 88% of respondents. Other utensils that are also frequently used are knives (83%), pans (77%), and pots (70%). Cutting boards are also an important piece of equipment, used by 70% of respondents. Considering that rice is a main food in Indonesia, rice cookers are also often used by 64% of respondents.

When buying kitchen appliances, the majority of respondents consider the price and quality. Millennials tend to prioritize the size, model, and design of kitchen appliances. On the other hand, almost half of Gen X focus more on energy efficiency when buying kitchen appliances.

Aska Primadi, Head of Research of Jakpat explained how household economic conditions affect cooking habits and preparing daily meals. “In the senior segment, Gen X can be seen that they are more concerned with energy efficiency issues in cooking, considering that they often prepare their own food at home every day,” he said.

Aska added, “In addition, the majority of Gen X also come from the upper class who are certainly more able to buy energy-efficient and durable cooking equipment, where this type of equipment has a higher selling price than cooking equipment in general. Gen X sees this as a form of investment.”

In addition to Gen X, Aska also revealed the condition of Gen Z, the majority of them are still single and their economic condition is not as good as Gen X. “The Gen Z segment emphasizes the value of practicality and convenience, by asking for help from others to cook, either with family help or buying finished food. However, they still pay attention to environmental issues, for example by minimizing the use of disposable cutlery.”

Want to know what dishes are most often cooked and where do they get their food recipes from? Download the “Cooking Habits and Kitchen Tool Preferences” report at the following button