Gen Z and Cooking Don’t Mix—Survey Shows Two-Thirds of Gen Zers Admit They Can’t Cook

A new survey by dating app FindingTheOne found that more than two-thirds of young adults lack basic cooking skills, with many admitting they feel completely out of their depth in the kitchen. Even making an omelet—one of the simplest dishes—feels overwhelming for 61% of Gen Z participants.

“For Gen Z, the kitchen isn’t just unfamiliar—it’s intimidating,” said Sylvia Linzalone, a dating expert with the app.

The survey, which polled over 1,500 participants, revealed that:

• 42% of Gen Zers (ages 18-28) can’t make a basic stir fry.

• 27% struggle with preparing a simple soup.

• 80% admit they wouldn’t know where to start with cooking lasagna or roasting a chicken.

As a result, 64% prefer dining out or ordering takeout, with nearly half citing their lack of kitchen confidence as the reason. Some even go as far as passing off takeout as homemade—perhaps explaining the rise of effortless “girl dinners” like canned corn and popcorn with soda.

Many Zoomers attribute their lack of cooking skills to their upbringing and modern conveniences.

“I feel like a lot of us didn’t grow up cooking like older generations,” said 23-year-old Mia, a survey participant. “With food delivery apps and microwave meals, it’s just easier to get by without ever really learning.”

In contrast, Gen X (ages 44-59) emerged as the most confident home cooks, with 85% saying they feel comfortable in the kitchen—likely because 72% learned from their parents. Millennials (ages 29-43) also outperformed Gen Z, with 68% expressing confidence in their cooking abilities.

Unlike previous generations, Gen Z doesn’t associate cooking with romance. While Gen X and Millennials often see home-cooked meals as a sign of intimacy, only 17% of Gen Zers preferred a homemade dish for a date. Some even confessed to asking their parents to cook for their date—then passing the meal off as their own.

Cooking isn’t the only life skill Gen Z appears to be avoiding. Studies also show that many are opting out of learning to drive, citing ride-share apps and public transportation as easier alternatives.

Source: New York Post