Cooking survey finds Americans prefer to find recipes on social media rather than cookbooks

According to a new survey, 22 percent of Americans have posted photos of their home-cooked meals on…

According to a new survey, 22 percent of Americans have posted photos of their home-cooked meals on social media in the last six months, while 44 percent of those in the “millennial” age range admitted they have done so in the same time frame.

This trend toward social-supping is just one of many observed in the "State of the Dinner Plate" survey conducted by Nielsen on behalf of meal-kit service Plated, which questioned participants on their cooking, dining and delivery habits.

When it comes to social media, respondents of all ages also showed a preference for finding recipe inspiration on Instagram or Pinterest rather than a cookbook (34 percent vs. 17 percent). Meanwhile, just under half of the millennials within that group preferred finding recipes on social media.

Nielsen’s survey suggests the younger crowd might be onto something, too. According to the findings, millennials were more likely to plan their weekly dinner menus than that home-cooks overall. They were also more likely to cook with their significant other, and more likely to try new recipes.

Additional findings gave a further glimpse into American eating habits, such as: 1 in 4 families said they eat dinner in front of a TV every night; half of the respondents said dinner lasts only between 10 and 20 minutes; and 3 in 4 households said they preferred not to plan weekly dinner menus ahead of time.

Plated did not disclose how many people were surveyed for the "State of the Dinner Plate," but a representative for Nielsen confirmed that just under 900 participated in the study. The same rep could not comment on the pretty couscous dish you posted to Instagram last week.