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Preparing meals under time stress. The experience of working mothers
In this 2010 study, questionnaires were administered to mothers in charge of preparing meals for the family, with the objective of finding out their perceived time pressures to meal preparation, opinions on convenience, and confidence in their meal-preparing abilities. The overall objective of the study was to examine the impact of these meal-related variables on the healthiness of evening meals served to school-aged children (5-18 years old) over a week. The sample included 120 employed mothers who claimed to be the main meal preparers in their respective households. Although the mothers’ perceived time pressure did not strongly predict meal healthiness, their confidence in their meal-preparing skills was significantly associated with healthy evening meals. Those with greater confidence in preparing a healthy meal also served healthier meals than those with less confidence in their abilities. Additionally, mothers’ healthy meal preparation confidence was found to decrease as perceived time pressures and orientation towards convenience increased. This data suggests that mothers’ perceived time pressure and convenience orientation may reduce the healthiness of meals served to their families via a decrease in the mothers’ confidence in their meal-preparing skills. [NPID: meal prep, meal preparation, convenience, children, school children, health, healthiness, healthy meals, confidence]
Year: 2010
