Higher food and fuel costs are having a direct influence on how consumers shop, cook and dine. Economic concerns are causing more Americans to cook and eat at home more often, which is good news for the meat department. The number of families eating their main meal in a restaurant is down to 1.2 times per week from 1.3 times in 2007 and 1.5 in 2006.

Consumers are shopping less often, and, according to the report, they're buying fewer luxury food items and more store brand items. When deciding where to shop, 37% cite "low prices" as the ruling factor in their decision, up from 31% in 2007. The second most cited factor? Convenient location, with 13%.

Consumers also associate eating at home with eating healthier. As many as 91% say they eat healthier when they cook their own meals. Plus, these consumers are saving money, since a restaurant meal costs more than twice as much per person.

How can you capitalize on the change in shopping consumer habits to increase beef sales for your meat department?

• Promote the 29 lean cuts and their health benefits for consumers. Visit the new Resources section to order POS materials and handouts that will help your consumers see the health benefits of beef when creating dinners at home. Need to brush up on the nutritional benefits of beef? Click here.
• Create family packs of meat, using one of the lean cuts or value cuts to add value to a customer's purchase. Since customers aren't shopping as often, they may prefer to buy in bulk, purchasing more pounds of meat at one time to have on hand for dinner.
• Merchandise whole-meal solutions, so a customer isn't searching through the store for dinner items. Choose a beef cut, a side dish, vegetable and dessert, and merchandise them all in one place in your department. Don't forget to promote "Dinnertime Solutions" in your ads!
• Click over to the Customer Handouts and check out the downloadable brochures. With topics like "Family-Pleasing Lean Beef Meals" and "Healthy and Delicious Lean Beef Salads," these informative brochures will get your customers' creative dinner juices flowing.
• Help your customers get more bang for their buck by recommending cuts that make great leftover lunches, too! Suggest recipes like Beef and Smoked Mozzarella Focaccia or Cajun Beef and Bean Burritos. Both recipes, and more like them in the Ad Planner, can use a variety of cuts and turn leftovers into a tasty lunch.
• September 22 is Family Day: A day to have dinner with your children. Use the day as an opportunity to show your customers that eating dinner at home can be about more than just saving money. For more information on Family Day 2008, click here.