Food at Home and away from Home: Commodity Composition, Nutrition Differences, and Differences in Consumers

James K Binkley,Yuhang Liu

doi:10.1017/age.2019.1

Abstract

Food away from home (FAFH) accounts for over 40 percent of food spending. We use NHANES survey data to examine resulting effects on commodity sectors, and find that production/consumption of beef, chicken, potatoes, cheese, and lettuce have increased the most due to FAFH, while fluid milk and all fruits have declined. Such changes have reduced overall nutrition, and nutrition within commodity categories is generally lower in restaurants than at home. FAFH consumers tend to have less healthy home diets than have nonconsumers, suggesting that observed low FAFH nutrition may be partly because restaurant diners select less healthy foods regardless of source.

Highlights

It is well known that food away from home differs from food consumed at home in terms of nutritional quality
Numerous studies have found FAFH to be of lower nutrition, mostly by comparing nutrient and calorie contents
In this study we have examined this question from more of a commodity perspective, focusing on differences in consumption across broad food categories, as well as the nutrition within these categories. This permits an assessment of how the growth of the restaurant sector has changed the structure of the American diet, as well as its impact on agriculture

Summary

Introduction

It is well known that food away from home differs from food consumed at home in terms of nutritional quality. Numerous studies have found FAFH to be of lower nutrition, mostly by comparing nutrient and calorie contents. In this study we have examined this question from more of a commodity perspective, focusing on differences in consumption across broad food categories, as well as the nutrition within these categories. This permits an assessment of how the growth of the restaurant sector has changed the structure of the American diet, as well as its impact on agriculture.

Results

Conclusion