Yahoo Finance Study: Americans saying goodbye to chocolate this Valentine's Day, crave cheese instead
In 2021, it’s all about cheese instead of Valentine’s Day chocolates.
According to new data from Signal Analytics, singles and couples alike are looking for an excuse to indulge this year, after a rough 2020 pushed consumers to focus on health and wellness foods during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The data shows a massive jump in cheese demand, with a 173% surge in consumer conversations surrounding cheese when compared to Valentine’s Day 2020.
While chocolate (specifically chocolate hearts) typically wins the V-Day treat category, the company said. Yet cheese has now taken the number one spot.
Additionally, “effervescent” or “bubbly” drinks are in the top 5 most sought after “textures” in the drinks category this year — with champagne, bubbly juices and seltzers topping the list.
And while Valentine’s Day often incorporates the sweet — this year’s holiday could be a little spicier.
Food delivery giant Grubhub (GRUB) told Yahoo Finance that spicy and exotic eats — from jalapeno cheese taquitos to Tonkatsu spicy miso ramen — surged in search results during this year’s winter season when compared to summer 2020.
The most popular spicy foods on the platform included jalapeno bites (+232%) and sriracha chicken sandwiches (+161%), whereas the most-searched spicy foods ranged from cajun Chicken Alfredo (+166%) to spicy beef noodle soup (+147%).
Overall, Americans plan to spend a pretty penny this Valentine’s Day. According to the National Retail Federations latest survey, consumers plan to spend an average $165 on Valentine’s Day gifts and celebrations — $32 less than they budgeted last year but still the second highest Valentine’s Day in terms of expected spending.
Alexandra is a Producer & Entertainment Correspondent at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alliecanal8193
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