Key Holiday Consumer Trends

By Kerry Dineen, Senior Manager of Demand Marketing at Chicory

The holiday season starts earlier than most media plans assume: in Chicory's 2026 Holiday Consumer Survey of 800 U.S. adults, 71% said their first gathering of the season lands in November, and 64% start planning menus at least two weeks before the meal. Those menus are being built under new pressure, with 55% of consumers budgeting more carefully this season and 39% of households now including someone on a GLP-1 medication. Here's what those shifts mean for how shoppers will plan, cook, and buy between now and January.

Sources: Chicory Holiday Consumer Survey, 2026 (800 U.S. adults, ages 18 and older, surveyed on how they plan to host, cook, shop, travel, and eat between November and January; age cuts reference 18-29 n=92, 30-44 n=285, 45-60 n=156, 60+ n=267) and Chicory Fall Occasions Survey, 2026 (1,057 U.S. adults, ages 18 and older, surveyed on back-to-school, game day, Halloween, and fall grocery habits). Halloween figures and any stat labeled Fall Occasions Survey come from the latter; all other figures come from the Holiday Consumer Survey.

Halloween

One in three shoppers says Halloween drives their fall grocery list. 32% of consumers name Halloween as one of the fall occasions that most influences their grocery shopping, tied with general fall baking and cooking at home (32%). Thanksgiving planning leads at 48%, followed by game day or tailgating (41%) and back to school (41%). (Fall Occasions Survey)

Nearly two-thirds of consumers are rethinking the candy bowl over ingredients. 64% say concerns about artificial dyes or food ingredients have influenced the type of Halloween candy they plan to give out this year, including 39% who say the influence is significant. 28% report no change and 7% are not sure yet. (Fall Occasions Survey)

Traditional candy still wins the doorstep, but dye-free is closing in. 56% of consumers are comfortable handing out traditional Halloween candy. 42% would give candy without artificial dyes, 37% chocolate-based candy, and 35% organic or "clean label" candy. 22% would hand out non-candy snacks such as pretzels or popcorn, and 16% would give non-food items like stickers, toys, or glow sticks. (Fall Occasions Survey)

15% of consumers are skipping treats altogether. 15% say they do not plan to give out Halloween treats this year. (Fall Occasions Survey)

Parents are screening the trick-or-treat haul. 60% of all consumers say ingredient concerns affect which candy their trick-or-treating children are allowed to keep or eat, and 39% say the effect is significant. Among the 72% of respondents who have children who trick-or-treat, 83% say ingredient concerns affect what their kids keep, and just 17% say they don't. (Fall Occasions Survey)

Candy is the third most reconsidered category in the ingredient shake-up. 46% of consumers have changed or reconsidered their purchases of candy and sweet treats because of ingredient or additive concerns, behind packaged snacks and chips (54%) and cereals and breakfast foods (50%). Beverages follow at 41% and baked goods and desserts at 25%. Only 17% have not changed any category. (Fall Occasions Survey) 

Ingredient awareness is nearly universal heading into Halloween. 81% of consumers are very or somewhat aware of recent discussions around food ingredients, artificial dyes, and nutritional standards, including the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) policy, and 42% say they follow the topic closely. 66% say that awareness has changed what they buy, with 37% reporting significant changes. (Fall Occasions Survey)

Seven in ten shoppers read the label before it goes in the cart. 41% of consumers always check ingredients before buying packaged food and another 30% often check for specific ingredients they want to avoid. Just 9% rarely or never read ingredient lists. (Fall Occasions Survey)

Cleaner eating costs more, and shoppers know it. 68% of consumers say their ingredient awareness has increased what they spend on groceries, including 38% who say costs have increased significantly. Separately, 70% say their typical grocery trip is more expensive than last fall, and 48% are switching to store or private label brands more often as a result. (Fall Occasions Survey)

Thanksgiving

The season starts in November for 7 in 10 consumers. 71% say their first holiday function of the season takes place in November, and 31% say it falls in late November, right around Thanksgiving. Only 11% wait until late December for their first gathering.

Friendsgiving is a young adult's holiday. 30% of consumers plan to host or attend a Friendsgiving this season. That climbs to 52% of 18-29 year olds and 40% of 30-44 year olds, and drops to 10% of consumers over 60.

The turkey is where the money goes. The centerpiece protein (turkey, ham, roast) is the number one category where consumers splurge on brand-name or premium products, cited by 45%. Wine, beer, and spirits (33%) and baked goods and desserts (31%) round out the top three.

Nearly two-thirds of consumers plan menus at least two weeks out. 64% start planning holiday menus two or more weeks ahead of the meal, and 25% start a month or more in advance. Only 6% wait until the day before. 

Family recipes still rule the holiday table. 66% of consumers source holiday recipes from family, ahead of recipe sites and food blogs (40%), Google and organic search (36%), and social media (33%). 8% now turn to ChatGPT or other generative AI tools for holiday recipes, rising to 13% of 30-44 year olds.

Gen Z and young millennials cook from their feeds. Among 18-29 year olds, social media (63%) beats family recipes (51%) as a source of holiday recipes. Among consumers over 60, just 7% use social media for recipes.

Half of hosts take a shortcut. 50% of consumers use ready-to-eat or shortcut products to save time when hosting, 43% ask guests to bring dishes, and 26% simplify the menu to manage the effort. 39% say they cook everything from scratch. Shortcut use peaks among 18-29 year olds (62%) and 30-44 year olds (58%).

Dinner is the main event, but dessert and apps are close behind. 65% of consumers cook dinner for holiday gatherings, 41% cook dessert, and 39% cook snacks or appetizers. Just 14% say they don't cook for holiday gatherings at all, though that rises to 25% of consumers over 60.

Leftovers parties haven't caught on yet. Only 6% of consumers plan to attend a "leftovers party," a gathering after a major holiday to finish the remaining food.

Holiday Season: Gatherings, Shopping, and the Economy

Most consumers are booked for 3 to 5 gatherings. 45% expect to attend or host 3-5 holiday gatherings between November and January, and 17% expect 6 or more. Among 30-44 year olds, 54% expect 3-5 gatherings and 26% expect 6 or more.

Micro-events are now mainstream. Beyond the major holidays, 35% of consumers plan to host or attend a holiday party (ugly sweater, white elephant, Secret Santa), 34% a New Year's Eve party, 27% a company holiday party, and 26% a cookie exchange or holiday baking party. Only 28% plan to attend none of these micro-events.

Snacks win the micro-event basket. For micro-events specifically, consumers most often buy salty snacks (53%), sweet snacks (52%), cheese and charcuterie (41%), dips and spreads (33%), and wine, beer, or spirits (31%). 

Small gatherings are a splurge occasion for younger hosts. 15% of consumers say they spend more on micro-events than major holidays because smaller gatherings are a chance to splurge on specialty items. That rises to 21% of 30-44 year olds. 18% focus on snacks and appetizers rather than a full meal for micro-events.

Economic uncertainty is reshaping the holiday cart. 55% of consumers say they are budgeting more carefully and cutting back this holiday season. That figure is 66% among 30-44 year olds and 67% among 45-60 year olds, compared to 36% of consumers over 60.

Premium products and name brands take the hit. 42% of consumers are buying fewer premium or specialty products, 41% are switching to store-brand or lower-cost alternatives, 33% are shopping multiple stores to find the best prices, and 23% are seeking out recipes that use lower-cost ingredients.

Holiday budgets rarely hold. 36% of consumers usually spend more on holiday groceries than they planned, and another 17% don't set a budget at all. Only 3% spend less than planned.

Shoppers mix brands and private label. 63% buy a mix of brand-name and store-brand items for holiday occasions. 23% buy mostly brand-name and 14% buy mostly store-brand. Brand loyalty peaks among 45-60 year olds, 31% of whom buy mostly brand-name.

One in five consumers doesn't splurge at all. 20% say they don't splurge on brand-name or premium products in any category during the holidays. That rises to 26% of consumers over 60.

Traditional grocery leads, but the holiday trip is a multi-store affair. 72% of consumers shop for holiday groceries at a traditional grocery store or supermarket, 58% at a big box or mass retailer, and 33% at a warehouse club. 15% shop online retailers and 9% use grocery delivery apps. 49% shop across multiple stores for the holidays, and 32% shop as needed across multiple stores rather than in one bulk trip.

The holiday grocery trip is a general merchandise trip too. While holiday grocery shopping, 46% of consumers also pick up personal care items, 39% disposable tableware, 38% holiday decorations, 37% cleaning supplies, and 24% toys or games. Only 20% pick up none of these.

Gas prices are keeping people home. 31% of consumers are driving a shorter distance or skipping a holiday trip entirely because of travel costs, 14% are combining multiple holiday visits into one trip, and 13% are hosting instead of traveling to save money. Among 30-44 year olds, 40% are shortening or skipping a trip, the highest of any age group.

Road-trip snacks come from home first. 53% of consumers pack snacks or meals from home, 28% stop at a fast food or quick-service restaurant, 26% grab food at a gas station or convenience store, and 22% stop at a grocery store along the way. When stocking up for travel, 60% buy packaged snacks, 45% bottled or sparkling water, 40% protein or granola bars, and 35% candy or chocolate. 

Half of consumers plan to drink; a third plan not to. 50% plan to consume alcohol at holiday gatherings this season, 36% do not, and 15% are undecided. Among consumers over 60, 43% say no to alcohol.

Health goals, not cost, are the top reason for drinking less. 45% of consumers cite personal health goals as a reason they're drinking less this season, followed by being sober curious (17%), cost (16%), taking a GLP-1 medication (14%), and being the designated driver (14%). Just 4% cite Dry January prep. 33% say they aren't planning to drink less at all.

Soda still dominates the non-alcoholic table. 60% of consumers include or look for soda at holiday gatherings, 45% sparkling water or seltzer, 45% tea or coffee, and 35% juice or lemonade. Mocktail mixers or ready-to-drink mocktails (17%) and non-alcoholic beer, wine, or spirits (16%) remain niche overall, though 27% of 18-29 year olds look for mocktails.

GLP-1 and the Holiday Table

Nearly 4 in 10 holiday households include a GLP-1 user. 24% of consumers are personally taking a GLP-1 medication such as Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro, and another 15% have someone else in their household taking one, for a total of 39% of households.

GLP-1 use is concentrated in the prime hosting years. 42% of 45-60 year olds are personally taking a GLP-1, and 53% of their households include a user. Among 30-44 year olds, 29% are taking one personally and 50% of households include a user. Among consumers over 60, 21% of households include a user.

Protein is the first thing GLP-1 changes on the menu. 19% of all consumers say they are including more protein-forward dishes in their holiday meals because of GLP-1 use in their household. 16% are serving smaller portions overall, 15% are offering lower-sugar or reduced-calorie options, 13% are being more selective about which dishes to make, and 7% are buying less food overall.

Among 45-60 year olds, GLP-1 is rewriting the holiday menu. 31% of 45-60 year olds are serving smaller portions, 29% are adding protein-forward dishes, and 26% are offering lower-sugar options because of GLP-1 use in their household. 

Many GLP-1 households say the holidays are business as usual. 22% of consumers say GLP-1 use in their household hasn't changed their holiday planning at all. Among 45-60 year olds, 21% report no change.

GLP-1 is a top reason people are drinking less. 14% of consumers cite taking a GLP-1 medication as a reason they're drinking less or not at all this holiday season, on par with being the designated driver (14%) and just behind cost (16%). Among 45-60 year olds, 26% cite a GLP-1 as a reason for drinking less.

Hosts aren't planning for GLP-1 guests yet. Only 6% of consumers say they accommodate a GLP-1 or weight-loss diet when planning their holiday menu or grocery list, the same share that accommodate kosher or halal diets. By comparison, 19% accommodate low-sugar or diabetic-friendly needs, 22% gluten-free, and 23% vegan or vegetarian. 39% don't adjust for dietary needs at all.

Protein bars are the GLP-1-era travel snack. 40% of consumers grab protein or granola bars when stocking up for holiday travel. Among 45-60 year olds, the age group with the highest GLP-1 use, that rises to 53%, ahead of candy or chocolate (39%).

Fall shoppers report even higher GLP-1 penetration. In Chicory's separate Fall Occasions Survey of 1,057 U.S. adults, 52% say they or someone in their household is currently using a GLP-1 medication. 33% say GLP-1 use has changed what they buy at the grocery store, while 19% say it hasn't significantly changed their purchases. Among the 48% of households without a GLP-1 user, 61% say they are aware of how GLP-1s affect appetite and food choices, and 39% are not familiar with the connection. (Fall Occasions Survey)

Methodology

Holiday Consumer Survey. Chicory surveyed 800 U.S. consumers ages 18 and older in 2026 about their plans for the November through January holiday season, including major holidays and smaller "micro-events" such as Friendsgiving, cookie exchanges, and New Year's Eve parties. Respondents were 53% female and 47% male, and spanned all nine U.S. Census divisions.

Fall Occasions Survey. Chicory surveyed 1,057 U.S. consumers ages 18 and older in 2026 about back-to-school routines, game day entertaining, Halloween, ingredient awareness, and fall grocery shopping. Respondents were 52% male and 48% female; 63% are the primary grocery shopper in their household and 51% are parents or caregivers of school-aged children.

Percentages for multi-select questions reflect the share of all respondents selecting each option and do not sum to 100%. Figures from the two surveys are not directly comparable because the samples differ.

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