Older adults’ household cooking: card sort analyses

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine food preparation practices of US older adults by assessing their conceptualization of food preparation methods and their routine use of food preparation methods and kitchen equipment. Design/methodology/approach -In total, 17 community-dwelling older adults used cards with names of food preparation methods and cooking equipment items to do one open sort and three closed sorts about: food preparation method classifications; food preparation method use frequency; kitchen equipment use frequency; and essential vs non-essential kitchen equipment. Descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, and qualitative thematic analysis were performed. Findings -Participants classified food preparation methods using multiple dimensions: ways to alter food, inputs, location, timing, and personal behavior. They used a wide range of food preparation methods and kitchen equipment items in routine cooking. The mean number of the 38 preparation methods sorted as used "often" was 16.5 ± 5.0. In total, 15 of the 17 participants reported using more than 20 of the 40 equipment items "often." The mean number of equipment items identified as "essential" was 21.5 ± 9.3. Practical implications -Food professionals should consider access to equipment and food preparation skills and preferences when designing products and working with consumers. Addressing gaps in human and material capital may support adoption of food preparation practices. Originality/value -Food preparation method and equipment use frequency has rarely been examined from the household cook's perspective. Using card sorts is a novel approach to examining consumer classification of an extensive list of preparation methods and kitchen equipment.

Older adults’ cooking trajectories: shifting skills and strategies

“…The older adults in this sample discussed cooking as an activity that is both practical and meaningful. Cooking skills are difficult to conceptualize, with researchers often focusing on the practical by attempting to quantify them using specific cooking techniques (Bostic et al , 2016; Worsley et al , 2015). Others rated confidence in cooking or measured factual knowledge (Reicks et al , 2014).…”

Results of Applying Cultural Domain Analysis Techniques and Implications for the Design of Complementary Feeding Interventions in Northern Senegal

“…12 It has been particularly useful in nutrition research for illuminating the conceptual frameworks that underpin nutritional knowledge, including emic perspectives that contribute to food decision-making processes. 3,[13][14][15][16][17] As efforts to address malnutrition among infants and young children continue to evolve, pile sorting has emerged as an innovative tool for understanding caregiver decisions about complementary feeding. For example, Rodriguez-Oliveros and colleagues 3 used this technique in their study of complementary feeding in Mexico to understand how mothers perceived local foods.…”