O13 Acceptability and Affordability of a Meal Kit Intervention for Low-Income Families

Abstract

Background Meal kit services are increasingly popular, yet target higher income consumers. Low-income families may benefit from this service because it reduces barriers to cooking healthy foods at home, but acceptability and affordability must be determined. Objective To determine the acceptability and affordability of a culturally acceptable, healthy meal kit service for low-income families. Study Design, Setting, Participants A 6-week pilot study was conducted with low-income, African American (n = 36) participants recruited from Gainesville, Florida. Participants were given weekly meal kits each containing 3 healthy recipes with ingredients to feed 4 people each, cooking tools, and nutrition handouts. Data collection occurred at baseline, weekly during the intervention, and post-intervention via face-to-face surveys. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Participant demographics were collected at baseline. Weekly process surveys were used to determine acceptability and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for each meal. Food shopping preferences, economic perspectives, and overall acceptability data were collected at baseline and post-intervention. Participant demographics and acceptability were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A cost analysis of the meal kits was completed and used to compare cost of meal kits versus participants’ WTP. Results Participants were 42.5 ± 13.8 years of age, primarily female (89%), had 2.3 ± 1.2 children in the household, and had a body mass index of 35.4 ± 9.2. Almost all (91%) of the meals were prepared, and 94% of participants were somewhat or very satisfied with the meal kits post-intervention. On average, the actual food cost of each weekly meal kit (containing 3 recipes) was $25.10, and individual recipes ranged in price from $3.65 to $14.96. Participants stated a WTP of $55.80 ± 42.13 per weekly meal kit. Of those who received SNAP benefits (n = 28), 100% would definitely or possibly use their benefits on meal kits. Conclusion Meal kits may be an acceptable and affordable resource for low-income families. Alternative production and delivery methods should be considered to keep meal kits affordable. Funding None.