How Confident Are Americans in the Kitchen?

We asked over 2,000 Americans about the dishes that intimidate them, the culinary terms that confuse them, and where they go for cooking inspiration.

Cooking at home is a part of daily life for most of us, but feeling truly confident behind the stove is another story. As recipe creators, we’re always looking for ways to make things easier, so we wanted to see what’s really happening in kitchens across the country.

The results offer a revealing look at our collective habits, including our kitchen wins, our doubts, and a surprising look at which states host the most confident home cooks (looking at you, Minnesota!).

Key Findings

Home cooks are 300% more likely to turn to food blogs than AI for recipe inspiration, and 125% more likely to use physical cookbooks than AI.
The most confusing kitchen terms are chiffonade (88%), sous vide (84%), and temper (80%).
The recipes home cooks find most intimidating to prepare are soufflé (63%), beef Wellington (63%), and sushi (50%).
The states with the most confident cooks in the country are Minnesota (100), Alaska (96.9), Arizona (94.1), New Jersey (93.0), and Massachusetts (92.2).
Americans are cooking an average of 11 meals at home per week, meaning over half (52%) of all their weekly meals are prepared at home.
The average American tries two new recipes per week, with a vast majority (83%) successfully cooking new meals every week. (So impressive!)

The Most Intimidating Recipes and Cooking Terms

On average, Americans prepare 11 meals at home each week, meaning 52% of all weekly meals are homemade. But when it comes to what’s actually on the table, we’re mostly sticking to our tried-and-true favorites and budget-friendly recipes, instead of diving into something that feels like a big leap.

So what causes confusion and a confidence gap? Turns out some recipes still feel like they belong on a pedestal instead of our dinner tables, and confusing cooking terms trip us up, too.

Infographic detailing the most intimidating recipes and the cooking terms home cooks most frequently search before executing.

Even though there’s so much joy in home cooking, some dishes feel too out of reach for many home cooks. Soufflé and beef Wellington tie as the most intimidating recipes to prepare at 63%, while sushi follows at 50%. Technical recipes—think fancy sauces, pastries, or homemade pasta— also rank high, while familiar comfort foods like lasagna feel far less daunting.

For many home cooks, some cooking terms fall outside their kitchen know-how. Chiffonade is the cooking instruction most likely to send people searching for help (88%), followed by sous vide (84%) and temper (80%), suggesting that cooking confidence can begin to fade when a recipe becomes too technical. That’s why where we find inspiration matters so much.

Where Home Cooks Find Inspiration

Today’s home cooks are blending trusted and modern sources when deciding what to make next. Home cooks of all ages rely heavily on online food blogs and websites. Here’s a break down of the top five places American home cooks look for cooking inspiration:

Online food blogs and websites: 48%
YouTube: 40%
Family recipes and traditions: 31%
Physical cookbooks: 27%
TikTok: 22%

Even in a digital-first world, cookbooks have maintained their status as an essential companion for every generation of cook. Turns out, every generation still loves to reach for a cookbook when it’s time to get cooking than newer digital tools like AI:

Baby Boomers: 140% more likely to use cookbooks
Gen X: 93% more likely to use cookbooks
Millennials: 49% more likely to use cookbooks
Gen Z: 55% more likely to use cookbooks

Gen Z is especially cookbook-curious right now, with 71% saying they’re planning to buy a cookbook this year—making them 15% more likely than older generations. At the same time, over two in five Gen Zers also turn to TikTok for recipe ideas.

We’re seeing a new kind of home cook: someone just as happy flipping through a well-loved book as they are to scroll for the latest viral recipe.

Top Five States With the Most Confident Cooks

Minnesota (100.0) — Leading the pack, Minnesota shows well-rounded kitchen confidence, ranking the fourth-highest in the nation for sous vide without Googling and landing in the top seven across four of the six key categories. At the same time, 89% of residents cook new meals weekly.
Alaska (96.9) — Alaska stands out for technical know-how, ranking highest in the nation for cooks who can both sous vide and chiffonade without help, and third-highest in the nation for confidence in making soufflé (53%).
Arizona (94.1) — Arizona proves that confidence grows with consistency, ranking sixth in the nation for making beef Wellington and eighth for the share of weekly meals made at home (60%).
New Jersey (93.0) — New Jersey has the third-highest share in the nation cooking new meals weekly (91%) and the second-highest confidence in the nation for making soufflé (55%).
Massachusetts (92.2) — Massachusetts rounds out the top five with steady habits and solid skills, ranking fifth-highest in the nation for the share of weekly meals made at home (62%) and fifth-highest in confidence in being able to sous vide without turning to Google for help (26%).

To see where your state lands up, see the chart below:

Chart showing the states with the most confident cooks

Willingness to Try Something New

On average, Americans are giving two new recipes a try each week. (We love that!) It just goes to show how much a little curiosity can build your confidence. Over time, those familiar routines and budget-friendly meals help you find your rhythm.

This steady pace is reflected in how many new meals Americans actually make each week:

17% make no new recipes in a typical week
36% make 1 new recipe per week
24% make 2 new recipes per week
23% make 3 or more new recipes per week

The most confident home cooks are building experience in many ways—whether that means rotating in a family favorite (like our meatloaf), trying an easy pasta recipe for dinner, or leaning on a budget-friendly recipe that makes home cooking feel both practical and rewarding.

How to Feel More Confident in Your Kitchen

Feeling at home in your kitchen doesn’t happen overnight, but a few small habits can make it so much easier (and a lot more fun).

Start simple and be kind to yourself. Some of our happiest kitchen moments are just buttered noodles, a pot of creamy veggie soup, or a roast chicken that makes the whole house smell amazing. These basics are always welcome at our table.
A bit of prep goes a long way. I like to chop and measure everything (or close to it) before I start so I’m not frantically searching for the cumin mid-recipe. And if you can start with an empty dishwasher, you’ll thank yourself later. Trust me, I hate the dirty dishes as much as anyone!
Know your limits. Save the ambitious, multi-step recipes for when you’re in the mood for an adventure. On busier nights, I lean hard on my tried-and-true favorites like veggie spaghetti or fried rice. There’s no shame in keeping it easy.
Read twice, cook once. This is such a small thing, but reading the recipe at least once before you make it saves you from the dreaded “Wait, I was supposed to marinate this?” moments. It happens to all of us, but a quick scan of the recipe upfront helps a lot.
Stay curious. The more you play around in the kitchen, the more it feels like your own. Try one new recipe a week just for the fun of it. That’s how homemade tortillas became a “forever” repeat in our house—you never know when you’ll stumble onto your next favorite.

Our Take

For most of us, the joy of cooking isn’t found in stressful techniques or ingredients that are impossible to find. It’s found in reliability. It’s about having those meals you actually want to add to your routine, and instructions that make even the “big, ambitious” recipes feel doable.

And, honestly, that just makes sense. We believe that everyone—no matter where you’re starting from—deserves to feel like a pro in their own kitchen.

We are happy to see home cooks of all ages finding the most confidence in recipe blogs, websites, and cookbooks rather than in new technologies like AI chatbots, which, as we’ve pointed out many times in the past, often yield mediocre or misleading results (as seen in our Instagram video warning about AI recipe, our NBC interview, and our NPR interview).

Whether you’re hunting for a quick recipe to save a hectic weeknight, looking for a budget-friendly meal that actually tastes good, or finally tackling a classic dish you’ve always wanted to master, we’ve got your back. We’re here to help you get past that “what’s for dinner?” stress and get a plate on the table you’re genuinely excited to eat (see our latest recipes for some inspiration).

Methodology

We surveyed 2,008 Americans, providing a 95% confidence level with a low 2% margin of error. Because this exploratory research relied on self-reported data, respondents may have biases, and discrepancies may exist between their answers and their actual experiences.