Facebook Users Were Hungry for Chicken and Dumplings in October

Women, particularly those 50 and older, worked up quite the appetite for chicken and dumplings in October, making it a Topic to Watch on Facebook for the month, according to Facebook IQ. Conversation about chicken and dumplings and related topics biscuits, chicken as food, comfort food, cooking, cornbread, dinner, eating, gravy, recipes and soup was up five times compared with October 2017 and 0.7 times versus September. Facebook IQ wrote, “Soul food returns with chicken and dumplings, another classic southern dish. This hearty stew features chicken and soft dumplings made of biscuit dough in a broth that tends to be creamier and more textural than simple chicken soup. Recently, easy recipes have been circulating for this dish, allowing people to prepare this filling meal in less time with new multi-cookers. For those who are pressed for time but still looking for home-cooked classics, chicken and dumplings are an ever-comforting and increasingly efficient choice.” [kickout id="1"] [kickout id="2"] Inspirational fiction—along with related terms Colorado, funny, jokes, LOL, romance novel, Rustburg (Va.) and Western U.S.—saw conversation soar 19.7 times year-over-year and 2.6 times month-over-month, driven largely by the over-50 crowd. The social network’s research arm wrote, “Designed to highlight human strength and resilience, inspirational fiction is a growing book genre among baby boomers in the U.S. These feel-good tales may be fictional, but they seem to inspire people to live their lives more courageously and positively. Some of these stories deal with romance and relationships, while others are more focused on personal growth. Many have characters that adhere to spiritual values, making them appeal to people across different faiths. People are looking for ways to add more positivity to their lives—from reciting positive affirmations to reading inspirational fiction. [kickout id="3"] [kickout id="4"] Japanese proverbs was also a Topic to Watch last month, as conversation rose 1.1 times compared with last October and 0.8 times versus September, including related topics Japan, Japanese culture, proverb, Samurai and Western World. Men 35 and older and women 50 and older led the way. Facebook IQ wrote, “Japanese proverbs are short sayings that carry larger significance. Many aim to instruct people on wiser ways to live their lives or approach challenging situations. Now, these age-old sayings are being shared online, as people seek nuggets of wisdom to carry with them throughout their days. In our TL;DR world, where an entire day can be summarized by a single emoji, ancient proverbs are finding new relevance, for those looking for advice in a bite-sized format.” [kickout id="5"] [kickout id="6"] Women 50 and older on Facebook were saying, “How about them apples?” in October, as Red Delicious and related terms allspice, apple, cinnamon, clove, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, laugher, orange and stickers saw conversation volume rise 1.9 times year-over-year and 0.7 times month-over-month. Facebook IQ wrote, “A classic American apple—the Red Delicious—may be losing its place as the most popularly grown apple in the country. This breed of apple rose to fame due to its smooth texture and bright red coating. But in 2018, other varieties, like Gala and Honeycrisp Apples, have overtaken the Red Delicious, as people critique it for its lack of sweetness and softer texture. It has actually become people's favorite apple to hate, as articles and memes circulate about all of the ways that this apple proves to be lackluster. It may no longer be America's favorite apple to eat, but it's quickly becoming a cultural—and comical—symbol of something that looks and sounds delicious but doesn't quite deliver.” [kickout id="7"] [kickout id="8"] Conversation about rocket stove skyrocketed 97.5 times versus October 2017 and 0.8 times from September, dominated by men over 50. Related topics included backpacking, breezeblocks, burning, camping, cooking, outdoor cooking, Patreon, portable stove, stove, wood and wood-burning stove. Facebook’s research arm wrote, “A rocket stove is an energy-efficient alternative to a common stove. Relatively simple in design, it consists of an insulated chamber where items are burned, with an attached chimney. Rocket stoves require less fuel and produce fewer emissions than many other types of stoves, making them a highly eco-friendly option for campers and outdoor enthusiasts. And there are many ways to make them at home using common recyclable materials, like tin cans and bricks. As people embrace the outdoors and become increasingly environmentally conscious, rocket stoves are growing in popularity for their eco-friendliness, portability and efficiency.” [kickout id="9"] [kickout id="10"] Finally, Facebook users 65 and older let their artsy side come out last month, as Ukiyo—joined by Hokusai, Japan, Tokyo, Ukiyo-e and woodblock printing in Japan—rose 6.6 times year-over-year and 1.4 times month-over-month. Facebook IQ wrote, “The Japanese word Ukiyo literally translates to ‘floating world,’ and it's tied to a cultural movement in Japan from the early 1600s to the mid-1800s. During this period, a specific style of woodblock prints and paintings, known as Ukiyo-e, rose in popularity. Artwork from this era continues to circulate across the U.S. in exhibitions at major museums. And artists are adopting and adapting this style for the modern era, from creating GIFs of classic art pieces to painting new pieces with these traditional elements. This art form seems to be coming back into style and finding new audiences—in galleries and online.” [kickout id="11"] [kickout id="12"] We learned these things from Facebook IQ’s latest data chart called Topics to Watch, which is designed to help marketers know what subjects to look out for on the social network. The topics are based on trending data, and Adweek readers get an exclusive look at them each month.