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 Sure, 57 percent of parents cite lack of time as a reason for
purchasing prepackaged processed meals, the study found. But half of
them also said they shopped for factory-made food because their
family preferred it.
And often, parents said they also didn’t feel confident in their
ability to cook or plan meals.
“Ultimately, as a society, we need to increase affordability of
healthy foods and meal planning and cooking skills training
opportunities,” said lead study author Melissa Horning, a researcher
at the University of Minnesota’s school of nursing in Minneapolis,
“because it can be hard to make healthy dietary choices that involve
cooking when the environment is filled with easy access, low-cost,
prepackaged processed meals, which require little skill and effort
to prepare.”
The problem with prepackaged, processed meals is they tend to be
high in added fats, sugar and salt, Horning said by email.
Parents often know this isn’t the healthiest option, but they feel
pressed for time or unable to prepare foods on their own that their
families will like as much as the dinners that come in a box, she
added.
To understand why parents may shop for microwave-ready meals,
Horning and colleagues analyzed survey data from 160 parents of
children aged 8 to 12 years.
Most participants were women, and 60 percent were married.
Nearly all of them had at least some education beyond high school,
and 46 percent of them worked full time.
One third of parents surveyed said they liked prepackaged meals
because the kids could make dinner themselves, researchers report in
the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
About 27 percent of the time, parents picked these foods because
they were inexpensive.
And 22 percent of parents said they bought meals in a box because
they didn’t know what else to make.
Parents who worked full time were more likely to cite lack of time
as a reason for getting pre-made meals than parents working less, or
not at all, the study also found.
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Beyond its small size, limitations of the study include the lack of
initial questions in the survey to determine if, or how often,
parents purchased prepackaged or processed meals for their families,
the authors note. It also didn’t assess any health outcomes related
to food purchasing decisions.
Even so, the findings highlight the need for parents and caregivers
to think of themselves as the gatekeepers to the kitchen, said
Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist at New York
University Langone Medical Center.
“Caregivers need to take some responsibility for feeding their
families healthy foods and when possible, having family meals,”
Heller, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. “Getting
kids of all ages, involved with the process of choosing, prepping
and serving foods gives them a sense of purpose and investment in
the dishes prepared.”
Even when parents are pressed for time or short on cash, they can
still manage simple dishes that are healthy, Heller said.
Pre-cut fresh and frozen vegetables, canned beans and dry staples
like rice and pasta can help parents get a meal together quickly
without spending a lot of time or money, for example.
“Keeping the pantry and refrigerator stocked with healthy foods and
prepping food in advance are real time savers,” Heller said.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2eXJqNP Journal of Nutrition Education and
Behavior, online October 13, 2016.
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