Millennials are obsessed with food. They grew up watching the Food Network, celebrity chefs and a dizzying array of cooking shows.
Not surprisingly, the food boards on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter are the most popular with Millennials, also known as Gen-Yers. In the digital era, food brings people together online and is a topic for fun interaction during incentive programs.
“Millennials are foodies,” said Kelly Parisi, solutions department senior manager for Spear One, a Dallas-based meeting and incentive company. “They crave unique dining experiences, especially those with local fare. They want to know more about their food, where it came from, how it was grown, if it’s in season and what health benefits come from each item.
Millennials view food as self-expression and want lots of opportunities for customization,” she added.
Simply put, most Gen-Yers are adventurous diners who want to feel connected to their food and destination with things such as farm-fresh ingredients, sustainable practices and creative menus with local flair.
“Sustainable practices and farm-to-table are incredibly popular trends,” Parisi said. “Anything you can do to help the attendee feel more immersed in the local culture and foster a sense of place is appealing to them.”
Millennials cherish their grandparents, but they don’t want to follow their three-full-meals-a-day tradition.
They want to continue eating like they do at home with smaller meals throughout the day dominated by healthy options, Parisi said.
Superfoods like blueberries, chia seeds, kale, walnuts, avocados, cauliflower, steel-cut oats and quinoa are popular Millennial choices. In addition, providing gluten-free and dairy -free options is imperative for their age group.
“Millennials like to put a slight twist on just about any food, too,” said Fabrice Benezit, executive pastry chef at Waldorf Astoria and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort. “For instance, they’ll opt for pretzel buns instead of regular hamburger buns or waffles instead of bread for a ham and cheese sandwich.”
Gen-Yers often want to venture beyond the predictable breakout room meal function.
Parisi said Millennials enjoy combining convenience with creativity.
“They want to maximize their time, and they appreciate small plate dinners, food trucks, sushi bars, smoothie stations and coffee bars,” she said.
Other popular food events with Millennials include small group dine-arounds, chef-hosted dinners, receptions with a variety of ethnic food stations, healthy grab-and-go meals, cooking classes and wine and beer tastings hosted by local brewers and winemakers.
