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 Make it Beef Advisory Panel findings The Make it Beef Advisory Panel is a national community of 580 engaged individuals who share valuable insights into how Canadians shop, cook, and enjoy Canadian beef. Through surveys, panel members provide a closer look at evolving food habits, preferences, and everyday mealtime challenges. Over the past year or so, four surveys were conducted through the panel, each offering valuable insights that help shape recipe development, consumer resources, and strategic decision-making at Canada Beef. Home cooking habits To better understand how Canadians are preparing meals at home, Advisory Panel members were asked to share how often they cook and what matters most when choosing recipes. Key insights: Home cooking is a regular part of daily routines: 61.0% prepare breakfast at home daily, 41.8% prepare lunch daily, and 47.4% prepare dinner daily, making breakfast the most consistently prepared meal at home overall. Ease of preparation (69%) and total cooking time (51%) are the most important factors when selecting recipes. 59.2% of respondents regularly cook extra during the week to use as leftovers or for future meals. Ground beef is the most frequently used cut, with 58.7% cooking it very often. What it means: These insights highlight a strong focus on practical, everyday cooking, with an opportunity for Canada Beef to provide simple, time-efficient recipes that prioritize ease and speed, make the most of commonly used cuts like ground beef, and support meal planning through leftovers and multi-use meals. Calling all Grandparents Canada Beef talked to grandparents to better understand their role in preparing meals for younger generations and what kind of support they need. Key insights: 57.7% often or sometimes cook for their grandchildren. 37% have prepared school lunches for their grandchildren. 57.3% identified picky eaters as their biggest challenge. 24.7% struggle with coming up with new meal ideas. 67.5% are interested in nutritious, kid-friendly beef recipes. What this means: School lunch recipes and nutrition guidance are a valued resource among grandparents, presenting an opportunity for Canada Beef to support by providing simple, nutritious, kid-friendly recipes, particularly those designed for picky eaters. Halal Meat The Make it Beef Advisory Panel was invited to share their perspectives, knowledge, and interest in Halal-certified beef, to better align future initiatives and resources with evolving consumer needs. Key insights: 17.5% of respondents currently purchase Halal-certified beef. 74.4% of respondents report a limited to moderate understanding of Halal certification, suggesting a lower level of knowledge among Canadian consumers who have a strong interest in beef but are largely non-Muslim; 25.6% report a good or very good understanding. What this means: The findings from this initial study will guide further exploration of preferences for Halal-certified products in partnership with Canadian Beef suppliers. Updated Canadian beef virtual assistant survey To better support Canadians in the kitchen, the Make it Beef Advisory Panel was invited to test an updated version of Canada Beef’s virtual assistant. Panel members tested the tool and shared feedback on usability, usefulness, and overall experience to help inform future improvements. Key insights: 95.7% of respondents found the virtual assistant easy to use, with 51.4% rating it “very easy” and 44.3% “somewhat easy.” 88.5% felt the level of detail provided was “just right,” indicating a strong balance between simplicity and depth. 37.4% of respondents preferred the virtual assistant over tools like Google, while 39.0% had no preference, highlighting openness to integrating it into existing search habits. Canadians continue to rely on a mix of tools for beef-related questions, including search engines, recipe websites, and Canada Beef resources. What this means: While Canadians continue to use a mix of tools for recipe and cooking information, these initial findings show that the virtual assistant is a welcome addition that fits naturally into existing habits. With strong ease of use and balanced, helpful information, it offers a convenient, reliable resource, creating an opportunity to grow into a trusted, go-to tool for cooking support. These valuable insights help guide the development of new recipe content and resources that support families in creating enjoyable, nutritious meals made with Canadian beef. To stay up to date on research findings from our Make it Beef Advisory Panel, subscribe to the Make it Beef newsletter, a monthly update from Canada Beef, designed to share insights, resources, and ideas that help Canadians make the most of cooking with Canadian beef. Back to main page KELLY HYDE Director, Consumer Promotions

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