CHICAGO (RFD NEWS) — Homesteading may be gaining popularity, but new research suggests many Americans don’t actually identify with the term.
New research from Curion finds 69.2% of U.S. consumers routinely make, grow, or preserve food at home, while just 7.3% say a self-sufficient lifestyle is a core part of how they live.
The findings come from Curion’s July 2026 Poll Pulse research, which surveyed up to 15,385 U.S. adults.
Nearly 84% of consumers reported participating in at least one home-based food or household production activity.
Cooking, Gardening and Preserving
Making food from scratch is the most common activity, with 72.1% of consumers saying they do it.
That is followed by:
- 47.3% who grow herbs, vegetables or fruit
- 46.1% who make DIY household or food products, such as sauces, bread or yogurt
- 37.7% who preserve or store food through freezing, fermenting or canning
Only 16.1% said they do none of those activities.
The activities also tend to overlap, suggesting many consumers are incorporating several forms of home production into their everyday routines.
Health and Savings Drive the Trend
Health is the biggest reason consumers say they participate in these activities.
Sixty-five percent cited improving their health, including controlling ingredients, eating fewer processed foods, and knowing where their food comes from.
Other major motivations included:
- 53% — Saving money
- 49% — Improved well-being
- 37% — Greater control over what they consume or use
- 27% — Sustainability and reducing waste
- 26% — Family or lifestyle changes
The research suggests consumers are looking for more control over their food, spending and how products are made at home.
It’s a Habit, Not an Identity
Perhaps the most notable finding is the disconnect between what consumers are doing and how they describe themselves.
While 43.9% say home-based activities are part of their weekly routine, only 7.3% consider a self-sufficient lifestyle a core part of their identity.
Curion Director of Strategic Insights Inga Verbicka said consumers may be engaging in traditionally “homesteading” activities without viewing themselves as homesteaders.
“The behavior is mainstream, the identity isn’t,” Verbicka said.
Social Media Isn’t the Main Driver
Despite the popularity of homesteading content online, social media appears to play a relatively small role in motivating these behaviors.
Health or wellness changes were cited by 40.7% as a life change that moved them toward home-based activities, while 39.1% cited financial pressure and the cost of living.
Changes in work style were cited by 22.9%, while becoming a parent or expanding a family was cited by 22.7%. Only 13.3% pointed to social media or online inspiration. Another 26.1% said no major life change prompted the shift.
The findings suggest home food production is becoming less of a trend and more of an everyday household habit — whether consumers call it homesteading or not.
