Home Cooks are Shopping a Little Differently for Groceries in 2025

Introduction to the Shift in Grocery Shopping

With restaurants closed and stay-at-home orders in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the early months of the pandemic, Americans responded by cooking at home more than ever before. Despite the challenges in finding some ingredients on store shelves, people took up cooking and baking in record numbers. The pandemic led to flour and yeast shortages all over the country as friends shared sourdough starters or rediscovered long-forgotten bread machines in their basements.

A Newfound Love for Cooking and Baking

Peg Morrow of Ellwood City shared that the pandemic allowed her to rekindle her love for cooking and baking. "With COVID, I was able to get that love of cooking and baking back," she said. "My bread baking skills certainly improved with practice." Similarly, retired geologist Peter Hutchinson of Murrysville started making bread again after his daughter replaced his old bread machine with a new model.

The Evolution of Grocery Shopping

Mark Mastandrea, who followed his wife into retirement when the world shut down in March 2020, took advantage of the pandemic to improve his culinary skills. Before the shutdown, he was an adequate cook, but with more time on his hands, he committed to preparing healthy food and entertaining his wife by cooking most of their meals.

Less Cooking, More Online Shopping

Today, Americans spend a majority of their food budgets on dishes prepared outside the home, according to a 2024 survey by the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts based on USDA data. However, if people are shopping less for ingredients to make dinner, they are also shopping a little differently for groceries in 2025. Nearly 20% of shoppers of all ages engaged in online grocery shopping at least once in the past month, according to a report by the USDA.

The Rise of Online Grocery Shopping

Ordering groceries online for pickup or delivery was hardly a new technology when COVID-19 hit. Giant Eagle started offering it at some of its Market District stores around 2012, while Walmart began piloting online ordering with grocery pickup in 2013 in Denver. However, it really started to take off in 2018 as improved technology made online grocery shopping more accessible and streamlined.

Filling Those Baskets

Sunday is the busiest day for online shopping at Giant Eagle, says Tim Westine, 28, a curbside team leader at the South Hills Market District. The 3,000 dedicated curbside team members responsible for filling the region’s online orders can fill up to 1,200 orders a week. Today, it’s less about pantry items and more about fresh items needed for daily cooking like produce, meat, and dairy.

The Future of Grocery Shopping

The fact that Giant Eagle recently entered into third-party partnerships with Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats has only made online grocery shopping easier, faster, and more convenient. While the vast majority of its business is still brick-and-mortar, the company is seeing many people getting into the online space.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the way people shop for groceries has undergone a significant transformation in 2025. With the rise of online grocery shopping, people are now able to order their groceries from the comfort of their own homes and have them delivered or picked up at their convenience. This shift has been driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced people to cook at home more and look for alternative ways to shop for groceries.

FAQs

• Q: What percentage of shoppers engaged in online grocery shopping at least once in the past month?
  A: Nearly 20% of shoppers of all ages engaged in online grocery shopping at least once in the past month.
• Q: Which company started offering online grocery shopping in 2012?
  A: Giant Eagle started offering online grocery shopping at some of its Market District stores around 2012.
• Q: What is the busiest day for online shopping at Giant Eagle?
  A: Sunday is the busiest day for online shopping at Giant Eagle.
• Q: How many orders can the 3,000 dedicated curbside team members fill in a week?
  A: The 3,000 dedicated curbside team members can fill up to 1,200 orders a week.
• Q: What is the minimum order required for free pickup at Giant Eagle?
  A: The minimum order required for free pickup at Giant Eagle is $35.