Most People Believe They Have Family Recipes Worthy of Best-Selling Cook Books

A new survey has revealed two in three people have family recipes so good they believe they’re worthy of best-selling cookbooks.

A recent poll of 2,000 U.S. adults found that millennials are leading the way as the generation most likely to use family recipes in meals. 

Three-quarters of people swear these passed-down recipes are “excellent” and that they plan to pass them down to future generations.

71% of people have a family recipe that was handed down to them either by their parents or grandparents. And 24% of respondents said they have recipes dating back to their great-grandparents’ generation.

The study showed that family recipes are more likely to be served at family gatherings, winter holidays, Thanksgiving, Sunday dinners and family nights.

Overall, 62% are likely to bring out family recipes for holiday gatherings this year and three in four agreed incorporating family recipes into the holidays makes them feel more meaningful.  

Many still store their family recipes on physical note cards (46%), in a physical recipe book (40%) or purely by memory (25%) compared to digital scans (13%). Unfortunately, 15% admit they have lost or damaged a treasured recipe that has been handed down to them.

More than one in four (27%) have created their recipes to start their family tradition of passing it down. Of these, 75% have plans to hand their recipes down to their children and 25% to their grandchildren, while 25% plan to share with their spouse.

TOP 11 OCCASIONS THAT CALL FOR FAMILY RECIPES

• Family gatherings/reunions - 40%
• Winter holidays - 39%
• Thanksgiving - 34%
• Sunday dinners - 28%
• Family nights in - 21%
• New Year’s Eve/Day - 8%
• When it comes up in conversation - 8%
• A milestone birthday - 8%
• Housewarmings - 7%
• Graduations - 4%
• Weddings - 4%