P119 Knowledge of and Preferences for Meal Kits Among Low-Income Food Preparers

Abstract

Background Low-income families may face barriers accessing healthy food, which may negatively affect diet quality and food security. Meal kits have recently become popular and may help families overcome barriers to healthy eating. Meal kits provide consumers with recipes and ingredients required to create healthy meals. This is the first study to evaluate the knowledge of and preferences for meal kits among low-income individuals. Objective To determine knowledge of meal kit services and preferences for ingredients, recipes, preparation time, delivery method, and acceptable cost of meal kits among low-income Hispanic and African American (AA) food preparers to inform the development of culturally-tailored meal kits. Study Design, Settings, Participants Focus groups were conducted with Hispanic (N = 15) and AA (N = 16) food preparers from low-income neighborhoods in Hollywood and Gainesville, Florida. Forty-two percent of participants participated in federal food assistance programs. Trained focus group moderators used a semi-structured script to ask questions related to meal kit preferences. Focus groups were conducted in English (n = 3) and Spanish (n = 3). Measurable Outcome/Analysis Audio recorded focus groups were transcribed verbatim and content analyzed to identify themes. Results No participants had ever tried a meal kit and many were unfamiliar with the concept. Most Hispanic and AA participants were willing to try meal kits but cited cost as a barrier to using them. Responses varied among Hispanic and AA participants regarding maximum preparation time, desirability of fresh versus canned/frozen foods, format for receiving recipe instructions, acceptability of picking up meal kits from a central location, and preference of recipes to be included in meal kits. Participants stated a willingness to pay $20-$120 per week for a meal kit, but all participants struggled to estimate an acceptable price. Conclusion Meal kits may be a novel approach to improve access to healthy foods and improve diet quality of low-income families if the service is affordable and culturally tailored. Funding UF/IFAS Office of Research.