ARLINGTON, Va. — Grocery retailers have an opportunity to capture more meal occasions as consumers increasingly combine home cooking with prepared foods, according to a new report from FMI—The Food Industry Association.
“The Power of Foodservice at Retail 2026” found that 56% of households combine home preparation with foods prepared outside the home for dinner at least once a week. The findings point to opportunities for retailers to position their foodservice departments as sources of both complete meals and components that simplify cooking.
“We’re seeing more and more households replace home-cooked and restaurant meals with deli-prepared foods,” said David Haaf, FMI’s vice president of fresh foods. “The opportunity for food retailers is to reframe their foodservice department as a go-to resource.”
Rather than focusing solely on ready-made meals, retailers can offer prepared foods as flexible building blocks that complement the way shoppers already cook, the report suggests. Consumers expressed interest in meal bundles, heat-and-eat sides, family-size offerings and combinations of prepared foods and grocery items.
“In some cases, the foodservice department may only need to solve a part of the meal a shopper seeks to make,” Haaf said. “Often, the shopper is searching for meal inspiration more than the actual main dish or side component.”
The research also highlights the importance of timing. Although meal needs vary with consumers’ schedules, work locations and circumstances, distinct decision-making windows give retailers opportunities to connect with shoppers throughout the day.
Half of same-day dinner decisions occur between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., according to the report. Similar windows exist for breakfast and lunch, suggesting that foodservice departments can tailor their offerings to different meal occasions.
Building a reputation around a signature prepared food item represents another opportunity. Only one-third of shoppers said their primary grocery store is known for a deli-prepared offering. Among the items cited were rotisserie or roasted chicken, subs, deli meat, sushi and pizza.
“Put your foodservice department on the map with a solid reputational offering,” Haaf said. “Shoppers tell us they are open to culturally diverse foodservice options and that prepared foods can often be a trip driver. There is real value in being a store known for a certain foodservice item and offering enough variety that entices shoppers beyond the grocery foodservice department.”
The findings suggest that grocers can compete for a greater share of everyday meals by understanding when shoppers need assistance, developing distinctive offerings and making meal combinations easier to assemble and purchase.
Now in its 11th edition, the annual report examines shopper perceptions, attitudes and behaviors related to grocery deli-prepared foods. The research was based on an online survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,480 U.S. grocery shoppers ages 18 and older, conducted July 8–15, 2026. FMI reported a maximum sampling error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
The report is sponsored by Hillphoenix, a Dover company.
