Food’s Role in Healing (or Celebrating) After Divorce
A recent Pew Research study revealed that 1 in 3 U.S. marriages end in divorce. According to our own research, very few marketers are speaking to this sizable audience directly. What we tend to find more of are divorced communities talking to each other…about divorce, but also food.
Case in point? Divorce Salad. In 2024, Bon Appétit released a recipe inspired by one of their writer’s post-divorce cravings.
Also in 2024, AllRecipes published “Divorce Chicken,” a deliberate counterpoint to “Marry Me Chicken” recipes and inspired by the post-divorce “healing process.”
A full two years later, we see social conversation around Divorce Salad has increased +21%, and Divorce Chicken +83%, according to Tastewise.
So, this spring Southern Living published “Divorce Carrot Cake.”
Today, we see even more examples of divorce-related self-expression, food events and conversation amongst this set. Here’s a sampling:
- Divorce Glow-Ups: A current TikTok trend with women sharing physical transformation “before and after” shots
- Divorce Jewelry: New items fashioned from marital-era gems and wedding rings
- Divorce Registries: Divorcee-curated Amazon, Target, etc. registries to help with setting up new households
- Divorce Parties: Consumers sharing post-divorce celebrations, with party food ideas ranging from vengeful to empowering
- “May Divorce Be With You” topped cakes
- Beyonce-inspired lemonade
- “Divorce Papers” cocktails
- “Holy Guacamole, She Did It” table signs, and a “Taco ‘Bout Freedom” taco bar
- Invitations and napkins from Paperless Post
- Divorce Eating
- Numerous articles and consumer forums discussing common pain points, e.g., appetite loss, disinterest in cooking, coping in the absence of the beloved family meal ritual, and food battles between exes over a child’s nutrition. Now add the “no one brings a lasagna” discourse, where divorcees highlight the social awkwardness surrounding breakups, the “death” of a marriage and lack of support for the grieving, and the sub-trend of comfort food deliveries from friends, perhaps partially prompted by the New York Times Cooking piece entitled “21 Dishes to Make for Someone Going Through a Hard Time”
Meanwhile – in married or partnered households – we note “food divorces,” a rebellion masterminded by the household’s exasperated primary cook.
The above represents not only a trend, but an opportunity for brands to consider the dynamics of the divorced household. In doing so, we encourage you to look beyond product solutions and turn your attention to messaging. As with all targeting, we recommend leading with empathy. This consumer is particularly raw, and in need of more than just coping strategies in the kitchen, but to be seen and understood. The potential to disrupt and resonate is high, as there are few brands with pointed storytelling. For inspiration, we’ll leave you with a short list of those who’ve tried:
- Honey Maid’s #notbroken ad from 2014, celebrating children of divorce
- IKEA’s “Where Life Happens” short film, depicting a child experiencing his new room “at Dad’s” for the first time
- Reformation’s fashion campaign embracing divorce as a “new chapter”
Katherine Plueger
Vice President, Strategy & Insights at JT Mega
Katherine Plueger conducts category, competitive and consumer research to develop the actionable insights that lead to better strategy for our clients.
