Food Focus: March Trends

March marks the much-needed end-of-winter refresh! Post-holiday-shopping scaries have dissipated and temperatures start creeping back up, leaving consumers ready to re-engage in social activities and higher spending — grocery shopping included. We dive into our network of 1,500 recipe sites to provide CPG marketers with crucial behavioral data and insights as they plan tentpole activations.

Who’s Shopping?

So, what exactly does our audience look like?

Top Trending Ingredients and Recipes

To understand what’s making it into shoppers’ carts in March, we checked out the top growing ingredients and recipes compared to the month prior in 2021. Citrus and root vegetables fare well on both fronts.

The top recipes show shoppers are still leaning into heavier, heartier meals and creamy dishes. 35% of the top 20 recipes include potatoes in some form or another.

The top trending ingredient spot is secured by cabbage, a must-have for classic Irish fare (more on that later). But as we look at the top 25 growing ingredients overall, we can’t help but notice that the list — while flecked with wintery flavors of cloves and walnuts — is also filled with lighter, fresher flavors, as lemons, oranges, along with items like shredded coconut, pineapple and cucumbers make it into the cart.

For many shoppers, March is the endless homestretch, and Spring still feels a ways away. For CPG brands with products typically associated with winter meals, time is not up for advertising. And for seasonal produce, like asparagus, cucumber and more, take advantage of the change of seasons to promote your fresh produce at its peak. We predict that interest in citrus and fresher flavors will increase as shoppers seek health benefits and additional flavor for all types of dishes.

St. Paddy’s Day

While most may associate Saint Patrick’s Day with beer and bar crawls, our network of home cooks takes this occasion to whip up Irish classics. Recipes like Slow Cooker Corned Beef Brisket and, of course, Shepherd’s Pie climb the ranks of our top trending recipes for this centuries-old holiday.

As an advertiser, don’t discount St Paddy’s Day just because you may not be a spirit or beer brand! Consider targeting any ingredients layered into a Shepherd’s Pie or that help build the perfect side dish to a corned beef casserole. Potatoes, frozen veggies, sausages or puff pastry are all on the table!

Lent

Most of the ingredients featured below saw increases in March 2020, either due to quarantine coping or stockpiling. Based on 2021 recipe traffic, we see somewhat of a return to normal, as consumers restore certain behaviors and lifestyle choices, like the observation of Lent.

As is human nature, consumers will look for tasty alternatives for their Lenten sacrifices. The religious observance provides a unique opportunity for CPG brands to conquest competitors and promote their products as healthier or even more ethical swap options. It also provides a platform for new customer acquisition, who might not otherwise try something like plant-based meat, while they give up red meat for 40 days. Alternatively, for brands who align with Easter classics, promotion for the tentpole event should begin as early as Lent.

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