Key Takeaways

## Key takeaways

– **Bulk cooking is extending into spring**, with Australians using meal prep to manage grocery costs, support healthier eating and reduce day-to-day stress.
– **Cost and health are major motivations:** 62% say they have bulk-cooked to save money, and 69% believe it reduces their weekly shopping bill. Separately, 59% say bulk cooking helps them meet health and nutrition goals.
– **Meal prep may ease stress:** 72% say it reduces their weekly stress, rising to 87% among 25–29-year-olds. Nearly half (46%) bulk-cook breakfast, lunch and dinner to save time and reduce mental load.
– **Storage is a barrier:** 34% want to bulk-cook more but say their fridge is too small. About one in four (24%) report stacking containers dangerously to make meals fit; this rises to 45% among 18–24-year-olds and 43% among 25–29-year-olds.
– **Spring plans point to continued demand:** 56% plan to use weekends for bulk cooking, while 37% say they’ll keep healthy food at the front of the fridge as a reminder.
– **Refrigerator features may influence purchases:** Samsung cites larger capacity and energy efficiency as the top two features sought by Australians considering a Samsung refrigerator in 2026. The article promotes French-door and smart refrigerators as potential solutions to storage, food-waste and meal-planning needs.

**Source and caveat:** The consumer figures come from Samsung-commissioned PureProfile research conducted in February 2026 with a nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18–95. The product benefits and recommendations are presented by Samsung.

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Summary of Australian Winter Bulk Cooking Trend Springs Into Spring as Australians Balance Costs and Health Goals

 

Samsung Australia has today released a fresh batch of consumer insights that reveals bulk cooking, a habit long associated with cooler months, is extending into spring as Australians look to manage grocery costs and kick-start New Year health goals as the weather warms up.

 

The Samsung insights reveal that almost two in three Australian respondents (62%) say they have bulk cooked specifically to save money[1], while over two thirds (69%) believe that bulk cooking helps to reduce their weekly shopping bill[2]. Beyond the hip pocket, the insights also suggest Australians are turning to bulk cooking as weekly meal prep to support overall health and wellbeing. Sixty-two per cent of Australian respondents say they intend to start the New Year by eating healthier[3], with over half (59%) claiming that bulk cooking helps meet health and nutrition goals[4].

 

Furthermore, the insights reveal that bulk cooked meal prep is also emerging as a genuine stress reliever. Almost three quarters of Australian respondents (72%) agree it reduces their weekly stress[5]; a figure that climbs to 87% among 25 to 29 year olds[6]. Further, almost half of Australians respondents (46%) claim to bulk cook breakfast, lunch and dinners to save time and reduce the daily mental load.[7]

 

Conversely however, Australians are running into storage challenges, with the insights revealing a third (34%) of Australians want to bulk cook more often, but claim their fridge isn’t big enough[8]. Further, around a quarter of Australians (24%) admit to stacking containers dangerously to make bulk-cooked meals fit[9], spiking to 45% among 18- to 24-year-olds and 43% among 25- to 29-year-olds[10].

 

According the Phil Gaut, Director – Consumer Electronics, Samsung Australia, the national shift towards meal prep to support Australian lifestyles has been occurring subtly over the past few years, and is now firmly reflected in consumer retail trends. “In 2026, larger capacities and energy efficient performance rank as the two most sought-after features among Australians shopping for a new fridge[11]. This shows that bulk cooking and meal prep isn’t just a winter ritual anymore, it’s a genuine strategy for Australians to save money, eat better and feel less stressed as we head towards the end of the year,” said Mr. Gaut.

 

 

As Australians move further into spring, the insights show that 56% have plans to use their weekends to bulk cook, while one in three (37%) say they’ll continue to put healthy food at the front of their fridge to remind themselves to eat healthier.[12] With end of year sales coming up, Mr Gaut suggests that now is a good time for Australians to start researching larger capacity models and notes that many shoppers re-entering the market for the first time in years may be surprised by the technological leaps refrigeration technology has taken in that time.

 

“AI paired with new design approaches have been the biggest drivers of change in the premium refrigeration category, with smart features working to address some of Australians’ biggest pain points every day,” said Mr Gaut. “French-door refrigerators are incredibly popular amongst Australians who rely on bulk cooking to stay on top of bills and schedules because they benefit from large internal capacities, flexible shelving, and in-built beverage centres that gives easy access to ice and water – all while fitting into most standard refrigerator kitchen cavities.

 

“Large capacity screen-enabled refrigerators like Samsung’s Family Hub go further by using AI to directly address common Australian concerns like reducing food wastage and saving time and energy every day. The Family Hub does this by automatically tracking what goes into the fridge to create shopping lists and bulk-cooking menus based on nutrition goals, while tracking and managing energy use via SmartThings.[13] Refrigerators like this are made for Australian lifestyles and are designed to offer long-term value by evolving with families and personalising to their unique routines over time,” said Mr Gaut.

 

Available in various styles and capabilities in plumbed and non-plumbed models, Samsung has a refrigerator solution to meet the needs of Australian homes. Australians can also shop with confidence knowing that in 2026, Australian consumers voted Samsung’s Refrigerator line-up ‘Top Value’, ‘Most Reliable’, ‘Top Performance’ and ‘Most Recommended’ in Finder’s 2026 Customer Satisfaction Awards.

 

To find out more about Samsung’s range of refrigerators, visit https://www.samsung.com/au/refrigerators/all-refrigerators/

 

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[1] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[2] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[3] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[4] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[5] Furthermore, the insights reveal Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[6] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[7] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[8] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[9] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[10] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[11] WorldPanel ComTech, February 2026. Larger capacity and energy efficiency are the top two features desired by Australian consumers considering a Samsung refrigerator in 2026.

 

[12] Samsung commissioned research conducted by PureProfile, February 2026. Nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 18-95 years.

 

[13] Using the SmartThings App, which is available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required

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