What Makes Coffee and Hot Soups Popular to-go Beverages?
Among to-go foods and drinks that keep you going, coffee and hot soups are high on the list of popular favorites. They have a comforting taste, are easy to carry into a classroom or meeting, and have some serious health benefits. Not surprisingly, the high demand for these power foods has led to many new varieties and the emergence of artisan versions of both coffee and hot soup. Many delis and grocery stores plan on expanding these sections of their operations.
Coffee is good for you
Scientists have gone back and forth on this, but have finally conceded what coffee drinkers have always known. Coffee has some real health benefits. It promotes mental alertness and clarity, which is why everyone from students during exam week to long haul truck drivers rely on it to get them through the tough spots.
In fact, researchers have recently found that drinking three to five cups a day can ward off age-related cognitive decline. It can lead to a 65% decline in the development of age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Even without knowing the science, coffee drinkers have made the U.S. the world’s largest importer of the beverage. In just a single year, 2014, the U.S. imported around 27.5 million bags of coffee, which was nearly one fourth of global coffee imports.
A taste for specialty coffee
Speciality coffee is considered to be the highest quality of coffee among the two major types. These are arabica and robusta, and specialty coffees are mostly derived from the former type of coffee beans. Specialty coffees now make up a significant 37% of the U.S. market in coffee. These can be consumed at home or outside, but most often at breakfast time.
About two-thirds or 65% of all coffee cups are drunk in the morning, and about 30% with lunch. The remaining 5% are fitted into odd corners of the day or night. Nightbirds, whether you call them owls or hawks, rely on them for perspective and clarity.
Soup’s up
Another nourishing to-go food that is easy to carry and full of goodness is hot soup. There are plenty of good reasons to enjoy a bowl or cup of soup, and Americans find enough to consume 10 billion cups a year. Soup is also a very healthy food, which may be why women are twice as likely as men to order it for lunch.
Like coffee, soup drinkers have spurred a demand for greater variety and many delis are now expanding their soup stations. As of 2016, nearly a third or 31.2% of those surveyed planned to increase their soup offerings. Hot soups are a popular choice at all times of day: they’re delicious, healthy, and easy to carry and consume. They are a good way to eat healthy on the go.
Coffee and hot soups come in near the top of the list of popular to-go foods, and the reasons are not difficult to find. They’re delicious and pack a lot of good stuff into a convenient package. Specialty and artisanal varieties add a touch of extra flavor to both.
