HelloFresh, the world’s leading meal kit, in conjunction with Wakefield Research, conducted a nationwide pickle survey of 1,000 nationally representative US adults ages 18+, between June 1st and June 6th, 2023, using an email invitation and an online survey.
Below are the highlights of the survey.
Here’s the Dill: Most Americans Will Gladly Take the Pickle Off Your Plate
When a pickle makes its way to your plate at a diner, deli, or barbecue, how do you respond?
How one answers describes the two kinds of people in this world: the pickle givers and the pickle takers.
And while 2 in 5 Americans (40%) are pickle givers, 60% are pickle takers who will gladly pluck that pickle off your plate.
Pick-Le This Or That
Even if no one wants to give the pickle away, there is always room for negotiating. More than 9 in 10 Americans (92%) would trade something for a pickle. And they’re not swapping the parsley garnish or a side salad. Instead, they are willing to give up coleslaw (45%), French fries (45%), mac and cheese (43%), and mozzarella sticks (42%) for a pickle.
Americans are surprisingly open to exchanging their dessert for a pickle. Nearly a third (31%) would give up their sweet treat, including men (36%), who are much more likely than women (25%) to swap dessert for a pickle.
To Drink Or Not To Drink The Juice
For many the juice is just as tasty as the pickle. More than half of Americans (55%) use the pickle juice. In fact, more than a quarter use it in a marinade (28%) and to brine meat or vegetables(25%). Millennials, in particular, are apt to use the juice in a marinade (39%) or brine (37%).
More than a third of Americans (37%) drink leftover pickle juice straight from the jar. Millennials (49%) and Gen Z (46%) are significantly more likely to throw back a jar of pickle juice than Gen X (35%) or Boomers (29%).
Pickle Pairings
More than 3 in 4 Americans (77%) would consider trying an unorthodox combo. Nearly half (48%) would try pickles wrapped in bacon, while 42% would toss pickles on their pizza and more than a quarter (28%) are open to trying pickle juice popsicles.
One in five Americans (20%) use leftover pickle juice as a mixer for cocktails or other beverages. Men (28%) are more likely than women (12%) and Millennials (42%) are far more likely than Gen X (21%), Gen Z (12%), or Boomers (5%) to do this.
More than 1 in 10 (16%) would be interested in pickle infused cupcakes. Additionally, nearly a quarter (22%) would try pickle-flavored ice cream.
