Eating habits are changing with economic pressures and growing health awareness shaping new behaviors worldwide. Aiming to uncover trends and new preferences driven by shifting lifestyles in the Kingdom, we reached out to 300 Arab people in Saudi to explore their eating habits. Understanding these shifts is crucial for identifying the unique ways in which Saudi residents consume food and beverages. 

While a typical diet includes three main meals a day, only half of Saudi residents stick to this routine (51%). The other half tend to skip two main meals (40%) or one meal (9%) a day, with dinner being the most commonly skipped meal, followed by breakfast.

Lunch appears to be the main meal of the day, allowing people to usually skip breakfast and/or dinner. Results reveal that those who are more likely to skip dinner are mostly males, particularly full-time employees. This may be attributed to their late-night work schedules, which often leave them with little time for a proper dinner.

Breakfast Preferences in Saudi Arabia

For those who opt to have breakfast, preferences are clear. Certain foods, especially dairy products are more common than others. Eggs are the top choice (76%), followed by bread (66%) and cheese or labneh (63%). These are often paired with tea (59%), milk (51%) and/or coffee (42%), that seem to be important components of the first meal of the day. The sweet spot is found in eating honey (37%) and jam (34%). Interestingly, most Saudi residents tend to avoid chocolate (16%) and sweets like cakes and donuts (13%) in the morning, as these were the least mentioned foods.

Interestingly, a striking 8 out of 10 people have snacks between their main meals (79%), those are mostly women. While the majority start the day with healthier breakfast choices, when it comes to snacks, this seems to change for many. 62% opt for savory snacks like chips and crackers, especially women belonging to the GenZ. Over half eat confectionary such as biscuits (57%) and chocolate (56%). There is also a tendency to consider healthy and nutritional options such as nuts (55%) and fruits (54%).

As we look deeper into meal preferences, it becomes clear that Saudi residents have a strong preference for homemade food, as the total sample say they eat meals cooked and prepared at home. Ready-made food, which is bought from the store but prepared at home, seems to complement this habit, with 42% of those surveyed relying heavily on these products, consuming them daily or multiple times a week.

About 9 out of 10 people in Saudi (94%) eat out (be it dining in, ordering delivery or picking up), but the frequency varies depending on different factors such as demographics. 40% choose to eat out on a daily basis (every day or almost daily). This is more pronounced among males aged between 25 and 39 and who have full time jobs; a trend that seems to align perfectly with their busy lifestyles and social engagements. Eating out doesn’t enjoy the same popularity among women and students, with the majority choosing to eat out less frequently.

 

Key Factors Influencing Snack and Food
Choices in Saudi Arabia

While selecting the products to consume be it in general or specifically for snacks, people in Saudi tend to be highly driven by the flavour, with 65% claiming that they are more likely to buy food based on the taste. Other criteria are also considered; consumers in Saudi seem to be price-sensitive, as they tend to select food items based on their prices (56%). Additionally, nearly 2 out of 5 people care about the freshness of the food (44%), the nutritional value like vitamins and minerals (43%), as well as the calorie content (43%).

Further analysis shows that despite being aware of calorie intake, people in Saudi tend to go impulsively for quick and satisfying snacks that often overrides health-conscious decisions. In fact, those who are driven by the calories of foods tend to eat snacks that usually are high in calories like chips, crackers and biscuits. 

 

Beverages also matter…
with a high preference for coffee

 

9 in 10 people drink coffee at least once a day (88%)
with nearly half of them drinking it multiple times a day (47%)

Juices seem to serve as a more occasional refreshment, as they are also a regular, though less frequent, choice compared to coffee and tea.

Interestingly, when respondents were asked whether their beverage consumption habits had changed compared to previous years, nearly half said that their frequency of coffee, tea, and juice consumption has remained the same. However, a notable 44% reported an increase in their coffee intake. This suggests a growing preference for coffee, possibly driven by lifestyle changes or increasing social trends around coffee consumption in Saudi.

Expanding on how Saudi residents prefer their coffee and tea, the data reveals distinct preferences. For coffee, half enjoy it plain (50%), for the pure taste of coffee itself. However, some people like their coffee with additions: 34% prefer it with milk, 23% add sugar, and 18% opt for creamer.

Plain tea is less popular (27%). Over half of the surveyed people (54%) add sugar. Milk is also frequently used, with 35% of Saudi residents including it in their tea (known as Karak tea).

While Saudi residents may not have particularly health-conscious habits, their approach to juices stands in stark contrast. 70% of Saudi residents prefer juices that are fresh and 100% natural. Unlike their coffee and tea habits, where sugar is often added, 51% of the sample specifically look for juices that are free from added sugar, given the presence of natural sweetness found in fruits. For 41%, selecting juices with the most vitamins and nutrients is a priority, reinforcing the idea that juices are seen as a healthier option.