“What’s for Dinner?” Still Begins With Mom — and Why Grocerants Are Winning the 2025 Meal Battle

 

The New Dinner Dilemma: Convenience, Chaos, and the Comeback of the Family Meal

Across America in 2025, the question “What’s for dinner?” carries more weight — and complexity — than ever according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. On one side, we see rising single-person households, dual-income parents, and non-stop schedules. On the other, a massive surge in Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared foods reshaping grocery shopping, restaurant competition, and how families define “home-cooked.”

But despite massive lifestyle shifts, one force remains constant:

When it comes to the evening meal, Mom (or the family meal decision-maker) still matters.
And today, she’s busier than ever — pushing demand for convenient, healthy, kid-approved food solutions to all-time highs.

Let’s dig into the facts shaping America’s dinner table in 2025.

 

America’s Household Reality in 2025 — and Why It Fuels the Grocerant Boom

·       29% of U.S. households are now single-person — a historic high.

·       But 64% of homes still qualify as family households.

·       Parents with children under 18 remain one of the strongest drivers of food-purchase decisions.

·       The typical U.S. household now works a combined 85+ hours per week, leaving little time for scratch cooking.

Meanwhile, the food landscape has transformed:

·       The U.S. prepared-meals sector surpassed $58.2 billion in sales in 2024, growing faster than total grocery.

·       The broader “ready-to-eat” category in the Americas is projected to hit $17.06 billion in 2025.

·       Global ready-meal sales are on track to hit $350 billion by 2034, driven by fresh formats, not frozen TV dinners.

In short, convenience is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity.

 

Parents Still Rule the Dinner Table — Even in an On-Demand World

A decade of research continues to highlight the same truth: parents (and especially moms) remain the chief meal planners. And the pressure is real.

A recent survey shows:

·       57% of parents eat dinner with their kids every night.

o   Moms: 66%

o   Dads: 46%

·       47% of parents say serving meals kids enjoy is the #1 way to make family dinners happen more often.

·       95% of purchasing parents say children’s taste preferences dictate what they buy.

·       91% prioritize nutritious options for kids.

·       One in three shoppers actively wants grocery stores to provide kid-friendly, ready-made meal ideas.

Real Life in 2025:

Picture a working mom in Phoenix:
She gets off work at 5:30, picks up her kids from soccer, then swings by her local grocerant for a $6 chicken bowl, a $4 salad kit, and a $3 fresh fruit cup.
Dinner is done in 10 minutes.
It’s balanced. The kids actually like it. And it costs less than drive-thru.

This is why grocerant meals are capturing share of stomach — and why restaurant operators cannot ignore the shift.

 

Grocerants Are Redefining Mealtime — And Winning on Convenience + Price

Whether it's Everytable, Publix GreenWise, Walmart Fresh, H-E-B Meal Simple, or Costco’s wildly popular ready-made meals, grocerants offer:

·       Fresh, ready-to-eat or heat meals

·       Lower prices than restaurant takeout

·       Faster pickup (no waiting, no tipping)

·       Balanced, “better-for-you” options that appeal to Millennial and Gen Z parents

·       Ability to mix-and-match entrée + side + dessert

The secret sauce?
A central-kitchen model and high-volume production that keeps pricing low and consistency high.

Everytable in Los Angeles is the prototype of the new grocerant economy: chef-crafted meals priced neighborhood-by-neighborhood, often under $8, and built to eliminate the need for in-store kitchens, line cooks, or waitstaff.

It’s fresh. It’s affordable.
And it’s exactly the friction-free dinner solution today’s families want.

 

Why This Matters for Restaurants in 2025

Restaurants are now competing not just against each other —
but against grocery meal solutions that are cheaper, faster, fresher, and often healthier.

Restaurants must ask:

·       Are we offering family-friendly meals that can rival grocery-store speed?

·       Do our takeout and delivery prices feel too high compared to $6–$10 grocerant meals?

·       Are our menus easy for Mom or Dad to assemble into a family dinner?

·       Are we making our food convenient at the exact moments families need it?

Because the reality is:

Parents aren’t looking for a night out — they’re looking for a way to get dinner done.
If restaurants don’t adapt, grocerants will keep capturing share.

 

2025 Takeaway: Mom Still Matters — And She’s Choosing Convenience Without Compromise

Despite the rise of single households and on-demand lifestyles, families are still eating together. They just don’t have time for a long cook or expensive takeout.

The future of “What’s for Dinner?” is:

·       Faster

·       Fresher

·       More affordable

·       Kid-friendly

·       And available at the grocery store right now

Restaurants must respond strategically — or grocerants will keep winning the share-of-stomach war.

 

Three 2025 Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

1. Convenience Has Surpassed Cuisine as the Top Purchase Driver.

Consumers now prioritize speed, freshness, and ease over chef-driven experiences for weekday meals. Restaurants who ignore this lose family-dinner dollars.

2. The Family Meal Is the Most Undervalued Occasion in Foodservice.

Grocerants understand this. Restaurants must build bundled meals, kid-friendly options, and affordable takeout combinations to compete.

3. The Next Big Battle Will Be “At-Home Restaurant Quality — Without Restaurant Pricing.”

Central kitchens, commissaries, and hybrid grocerant models are reshaping expectations. Restaurants that embrace these production efficiencies will thrive.

 

Call to Action for Restaurant Operators

The family-dinner battleground is shifting — fast.
If you want to grow sales and capture share of stomach in 2025:

·       Redesign your menu with convenience-first formats

·       Introduce family meal bundles and kid-approved options

·       Lean into Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat meal components

·       Compete on speed, value, and freshness

·       Reduce friction in takeout and digital ordering

·       Study grocerant leaders and borrow the playbook

Success leaves clues — and the clues are everywhere.

Want help identifying your next strategic move?
Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or contact Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us.

Let’s build the future of food — one convenient, craveable meal at a time.