Prepared foods remain a staple for many people in Japan

One of my favorite parts about living here is the convenience, specifically in the food department. For instance, If I'm craving something like tempura or korokke, I can simply pick some up at my local supermarket rather than heating a pot of oil and dealing with the lingering fried-food smell that seems to stick around the house for hours.

It turns out this convenience is popular with many people here! According to a recent MyVoiceCom survey of more than 11,000 respondents, just under half of people purchase prepared foods at least once a week. Supermarkets dominate as the place to buy them, with 93.2% of shoppers saying they purchase prepared dishes there, far ahead of convenience stores (20.7%) and department stores (14%).

As for the meal they're typically used for, dinner is by far the most common time to enjoy prepared foods, with 73% of respondents eating them on weekday evenings and 58.4% on weekends. Meanwhile, lunch consumption has declined compared with previous surveys, suggesting these dishes are more seen as a way to simplify the evening meal rather than a grab-and-go midday option.

When deciding what to buy, shoppers prioritize price (62.5%) and taste (60.4%), while 35% also value a good variety of ingredients. The survey also found that around two-thirds of respondents would like to actively purchase prepared foods in the future, and among those who already buy them weekly, that figure rises to over 85%.

Are prepared foods part of your usual meal routine?