Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 17;18(18):9827. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18189827.
Families with low incomes face barriers to preparing healthy meals, including decreased food access and limited time, and may turn to fast, low-quality, and inexpensive foods. Affordable and accessible meal kits may reduce these barriers. The objective of this study was to explore the cooking, eating, and shopping behaviors of African American (AA) and Hispanic participants living in the United States with low incomes and determine the knowledge of and preferences for a culturally appropriate meal kit intervention. Trained researchers conducted focus groups using a semi-structured questionnaire with AA and Hispanic food preparers with low incomes. Participant cooking, eating, and shopping behaviors and knowledge of and preferences for a culturally appropriate meal kit intervention were evaluated using thematic analysis. AA participants (n = 16) reported cooking on average 2 to 3 days per week and more often on weekends. Hispanic participants (n = 15) reported cooking 5 days per week and more often during the week. Both groups identified cost as the number one consideration when shopping. Most were unfamiliar with meal kits but indicated they would try an affordable meal kit. AA and Hispanic participants differed in their cooking, eating, and shopping behaviors but were equally interested in trying meal kits if affordable and culturally appropriate.
低收入家庭在准备健康餐食方面面临障碍，包括食物获取减少和时间有限，并且可能倾向于选择快速、低质量和廉价的食品。经济实惠且易于获取的餐盒可能会减少这些障碍。本研究的目的是探索居住在美国的低收入非裔美国人和西班牙裔参与者的烹饪、饮食和购物行为，并确定他们对文化适宜的餐盒干预措施的了解程度和偏好。经过培训的研究人员使用半结构化问卷与低收入的非裔美国人和西班牙裔食物准备者进行了焦点小组讨论。使用主题分析评估参与者的烹饪、饮食和购物行为以及对文化适宜的餐盒干预措施的了解程度和偏好。非裔美国参与者（n = 16）报告平均每周烹饪 2 到 3 天，周末烹饪次数更多。西班牙裔参与者（n = 15）报告每周烹饪 5 天，而且更多在工作日烹饪。这两个群体在购物时都将成本视为首要考虑因素。大多数人对餐盒不熟悉，但表示如果价格实惠，他们愿意尝试餐盒。非裔美国人和西班牙裔参与者在烹饪、饮食和购物行为方面存在差异，但如果价格实惠且文化适宜，他们同样有兴趣尝试餐盒。
