Are meal kits health promoting? Nutritional analysis of meals from an Australian meal kit service

A study on the relationship between purchases of meal kits and home meal replacements

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Meal kits and home meal replacements (HMRs) are rapidly growing segments in the convenience food industry. Consequently, numerous studies have examined consumer perceptions of HMR and meal kits, respectively. HMR is an established segment, while meal kits are a recent category. Both segments offer convenience compared to home-cooked meals. However, meal kits offer a wider variety of recipes with fresh ingredients, requiring simple cooking steps to prepare the meal rather than merely heating the food. Despite the commonalities and differences, previous studies have only examined the purchasing behavior and influencing factors of either the meal kits or HMR. However, changes in the purchasing patterns of both segments may be correlated. This study investigates the relationship between consumer purchasing trends of meal kits and HMR and presents practical recommendations regarding the need of consumers for convenience foods.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We conducted a panel regression analysis of consumer purchase data obtained from shopping receipts, spanning the 2019, 2020, and 2021 waves of the Korean Rural Development Administration.

RESULTS

The results show that the purchases of meal kits and HMR increased during the period, suggesting a complementary relationship between the 2. We also found significant increases in purchases within 2 sub-categories of HMR, namely, ready-to-prepare and ready-to-cook, alongside meal kits. These findings were further supported by the results of the sub-regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

The simultaneous growth of meal kits and HMR indicates that convenience foods continue to play a crucial role in meeting consumer needs in the food industry. In addition, considering the significant growth of the HMR sub-categories with fresh ingredients and cooking, we suggest that companies should aim to satisfy the desire of consumers for both convenience as well as freshness and culinary aspects.

Could commercial meal kits be part of the solution to food insecurity during pregnancy? An Australian exploratory study

AIM

To explore the nutritional content of meal kits from two main Australian companies over a 6-week period against healthy eating guidelines for pregnancy.

METHOD

Across the 6-week period, weekly meal kits from both Provider 1 and Provider 2 were purchased, 36 individual meals were assessed. All data were analysed for the development of a macronutrient and micronutrient profile of meals. Extracted data were macronutrient, vitamin, and mineral composition, which were compared against the healthy eating guidelines for pregnant women in Australia and New Zealand.

RESULTS

Meal kits include higher levels of sodium, and lower levels of dietary fibre, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, grains, and dairy when compared against the guidelines for healthy eating for pregnant women in Australia and New Zealand.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Meal kits may increase meals prepared and consumed in the home, and thanks to the clear instructions and pre-portioned ingredients, may reduce stress related to food preparation. They have the potential to provide nutritionally adequate meals to pregnant women as a way to mitigate food insecurity or hunger during pregnancy and may provide some nutritional benefits and have the potential to remove some of the challenges with maintaining an adequate diet when pregnant.

The potential influence of the digital food retail environment on health: A systematic scoping review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

The digital food retail environment (defined in this study as a digital platform, app or website where food can be purchased by individuals for personal consumption) is an emerging component of the wider food system. We aimed to systematically search and review the literature to understand the potential influence of the digital food retail environment on population diets and health.

METHODS

Four databases (across health, business, and marketing) and grey literature were searched using terms relating to "food and beverages," "digital," and "purchasing." Identified studies were included if they examined any aspect of the digital food retail environment where outcomes were examined with a health-related focus and were published before September 2023. All study designs were included (quantitative, qualitative, observational, and experimental). Reviews and conference abstracts were excluded.

RESULTS

We identified 21,382 studies, of which 57 articles were eligible for inclusion. Of the 57 included studies, 30 studies examined online grocery retail, 22 examined online food delivery platforms, and five examined meal kit subscription services. Of the 30 studies examining online grocery retail, six studies reported that customers believed they purchased fewer unhealthy food and beverages when shopping online, compared with shopping in-store. Nevertheless, customers also reported that their ability to choose healthy foods and beverages was reduced when shopping online due to difficulty in product comparison. Studies that examined online food delivery platforms primarily found that they promoted unhealthy foods and beverages more often than healthy options, through extensive use of marketing practices such as price discounts and images, and that unhealthy food offerings on these platforms dominate. Meal kit subscription services offered mostly healthy meals, with studies suggesting that these types of services may help individuals alleviate some of their "mental load" and stress related to cooking meals for their families.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature describing the digital food retail environment was found to be diverse, with different aspects having potential to impact health in different ways. Some evidence suggests that online grocery retail and meal kit subscription services may have positive population dietary impacts, whereas online food delivery platforms appear likely to promote unhealthy food purchasing. However, the current evidence base is fragmented, with many knowledge gaps. Further research is required to understand the influence of the digital food retail environment on population diets and how these environments can be designed to support healthy food choices.

RJ. Evaluating a Washington DC Community-based meal-kit service aimed at mitigating dietary disparities: Results from the SouthEats pilot study

Background

Vegetable consumption is known to reduce the risk of various chronic health conditions. Yet a small percentage of US adults consume enough vegetables to meet national dietary guidelines. The SouthEats community-led meal-kit service was developed in Washington DC to address known barriers to healthy eating and vegetable consumption among middle- and low-income households.

Methods

Using a series of online surveys, we conducted a pilot study to provide preliminary information on the influence of SouthEats on vegetable consumption and factors known to influence vegetable consumption. Wilcoxon matched-pair sign ranked tests were used to examine changes in key outcomes between baseline, midpoint and endpoint surveys.

Results

Among SouthEats customers who completed all pilot study surveys (n = 23) there was a significant decrease in the median amount of time spent on meal prep between baseline and midpoint. Between baseline and endpoint, participants also indicated increased feelings that they had enough time to meet their needs including cooking healthfully. Overall vegetable and fruit and vegetable consumption increased between the baseline and midpoint but then decreased between the midpoint and endpoint survey periods. However, there were no statistically significant changes in the outcomes of home eating behaviors, perceptions of neighborhood healthy food access, vegetable self-efficacy, or vegetable consumption.

Conclusion

Our results provide some preliminary evidence suggesting that the SouthEats meal-kit service could help reduce the amount of time spent on cooking, reduce feelings of time scarcity, and increase vegetable consumption in the short-term. Further research exploring this topic will require a larger study sample.

Meal kit subscription services and opportunities to improve family vegetable consumption

Popular commercial meal kit subscription services (MKSSs) may support families to overcome barriers to cooking and eating at home, and facilitate improved vegetable consumption. The global meal kit market has expanded rapidly creating a gap in our understanding of the health-promoting potential of MKSSs. This paper describes the contemporary MKSS market in Australia and provides a vegetable-specific content analysis of a sample of recipes. A 1-week subscription was purchased for all Australian-based MKSSs (n = 9) and websites were systematically reviewed to document key characteristics and recipe features. Vegetable content of all available recipes within a 1-week period were analysed. Our findings highlight the rapid expansion and evolution of MKSS market offerings over the past decade and their potential to support family vegetable consumption. Across all analysed recipes (n = 179), MKSSs provided a median of 2.5 vegetable serves per person (range 0.7-7.5 serves) and a median of 3 different types of vegetables from 2 vegetable subgroups (i.e. dark green, red and orange, starchy, legumes and all other vegetables). This suggests that MKSSs may support family vegetable consumption if families select recipes with a greater number and variety of vegetables. However, an opportunity remains for MKSSs to improve both vegetable quantity and variety to positively influence population health. Further research is required to describe how families use meal kits promoting a greater understanding of their potential to improve family nutrition.

Mapping the behaviour change potential of meal kits to positively influence parental food literacy

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the theoretical potential of meal kit subscription services in Australia to promote parental food literacy using the retrospective application of behaviour change frameworks.

DESIGN

A one-week subscription was purchased for all Australian-based meal kit subscription services (n 9) to access content and features available to subscribers. Behaviour change techniques (BCTs) identified in the subscription and meal planning features, meal kit delivery (i.e. ingredients and recipes) and website were coded using the behaviour change technique taxonomy (BCTTv1) and associated behaviour change frameworks. Identified BCTs were mapped to the theoretical domains framework to identify potential mechanisms of action for influencing parental food literacy development.

SETTING

Australia.

RESULTS

Thirty-five BCTs were identified across the nine meal kit services reviewed, ranging from nineteen to twenty-nine BCTs per company. Sixteen BCTs were common to all meal kits services, from the hierarchical clusters of 'goals and planning', 'shaping knowledge', 'social support', 'natural consequences', 'comparison of behaviour', 'repetitions and substitution', 'associations', 'reward and threat', 'antecedents' and 'regulation'. Across the meal kit services, the most frequently identified mechanisms of action were motivation (n 27) and capability (n 19).

CONCLUSION

These findings support the applicability of behaviour change frameworks to commercial meal kit subscription services and provide a theory-informed process for identifying BCTs that may be relevant for promoting parental food literacy within this context. Further research is required to explore how families engage with meal kit subscription services to determine the exposure and delivery of identified BCT content and to evaluate the potential influence on food literacy development.

What's in a commercial meal kit? Structured review of Australian meal kits

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this project is to review the products and recipes contained within popular subscription meal kits to determine if they are suitable for wider use among people who are food insecure.

DESIGN

Across the 6-week period, weekly meal kits from both HelloFresh and Markey Spoon were purchased, resulting in thirty-six individual meals that were prepared and assessed. Meals were assessed based on the content included in the meal kit compared with the recipe card and the nutrition panel, the costs of the individual foods if purchased at one of two major supermarkets and the ease of preparation.

SETTING

Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Households were comprised of two, 2-person households who were provided with 2 meals each week, and two, single-person households who were provided with one meal each week.

RESULTS

The findings of this research suggest that while the meal kits are convenient and, in general, the recipes are easy to follow, and the meals would be made again, the high levels of salt and fat may preclude these kits from regular inclusion in a healthy diet. The meal kits were also found to be more costly than the same ingredients if purchased from a major supermarket. However, the convenience of having most of the foods needed to prepare a full meal with little to no wastage may counterbalance this cost.

CONCLUSIONS

Meal kits may be a useful component of a healthy diet, that can increase meals prepared and consumed in the home, and thanks to the clear instructions and pre-portioned ingredients, may reduce stress related to food preparation.

Dietary Behaviors among New Users of Meal-Kit Services during the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people acquired food, including increased use of meal-kit delivery services. Investigators analyzed data from a national survey of US adults collected between July 2020 and September 2020, to describe new users of meal-kit services during the pandemic and explore associations between new use of meal-kits and dietary behaviors. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify differences in demographic characteristics and reported dietary behaviors between new and never meal-kit users. Nearly all new meal-kit users were under the age of 55 years (92.5%), lived in urban areas (90.1%), and reported having children in their households (82%). A higher proportion of new users were current SNAP participants (32.8%) compared to never users (17.1%). Compared to never users, new users of meal-kit services reported eating more fruits and vegetables (PR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.42, 2.68), and more red and processed meats (PR: 2.39, 95% CI: 1.49–3.85) since the pandemic began. Results suggest that meal-kit services may have been a useful resource for certain populations during the early months of COVID-19 and are potentially associated with increased consumption of certain foods. Further research examining the continued use and the influence of meal-kit services on diet is needed.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Young Australian Adults' Food Practices

Background

Young Australian adults exhibit poor food behaviors. These include increased consumption of Energy-Dense, Nutrient-Poor (EDNP) foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, and low consumption of fruit and vegetables. However, little is known about how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected young Australian adults' pre-existing adverse food behaviors.

Objectives

The present study aimed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food practices by exploring views of young adults living in Australia.

Methods

Through qualitative descriptive methods, data gathered through individual interviews were thematically analyzed. Participants included 38 young adults aged 18-30 y with a mean age of 24.1 y (76% female).

Results

Five themes emerged: 1) disruption of routines, 2) increased flexibility, 3) changes in food practices, 4) heightened psychological distress, and 5) impact on future behaviors. Disruption of routines and increased flexibility associated with working/learning from home resulted in both positive and negative changes in food practices. Negative changes included increased consumption of EDNP foods, increased consumption of foods prepared outside of home, decreased purchases and consumption of fresh foods, meal skipping, and a lack of meal planning. Positive changes included an increase in home cooking; consistent weekly eating patterns; decreased consumption of EDNP foods; smaller, more frequent meals; and decreased consumption of foods prepared outside of home.

Conclusions

Young Australian adults reported more negative and fewer positive changes in food practices. The observed negative changes in food practices are likely to have accentuated young Australian adults' previously known poor food behaviors. This study adds to the international literature by reporting ways that young adults implemented positive changes during the pandemic and future directions of their food practices.

Evaluation of changes in eating habits of chronically mentally ill patients residing in 24-hour social welfare home, subject to various forms of health-promoting education

INTRODUCTION

One of the decisive factors in maintaining good health and physical and mental fitness is proper nutrition. Its role becomes particularly important when a disease occurs, including chronic and mental illness.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study was aimed at investigating whether, and to what extent, it is feasible to conduct health-promoting nutritional education and to implement principles of correct nutrition in chronically mentally ill patients residing in a 24-h Social Welfare Home (SWH).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

52 people staying in the 24-hour SWH for chronically mentally ill participated in the study. Nutritional education was conducted by a dietitian with whom a psychologist, nurse and physiotherapist collaborated. Nutritional education was aimed at accepting changes in the way of nutrition by changing the composition otfthe diet and food preparation, changing eating behavior (throwing food under the table, taking food from other residents, etc.) and changing the structure of own purchases.

RESULTS

One year after the correction of the diet and nutritional supervision, a statistically significant increase in the consumption of vegetables, fruit, cottage cheese, fish and vegetable fats and a decrease in the consumption of white wheat bread, rennet cheese, cold meats and sugar and sweets. In the assortment of women's own purchases, the amount of cold cuts, sweets and cakes decreased, and apples and dairy products appeared. In men, the amount of cold cuts, cheese, cakes and sweetened drinks decreased, and fruits and fermented milk drinks appeared. A significant reduction in the value of the glycemic load was found: 2nd breakfasts, snacks and the value of a 24-hour diet.

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that multidirectional pro-health nutritional education of chronically mentally ill people is reflected in their nutritional behavior. The fact that the respondents are aware of the influence of the diet on their health also translates into a change in the range of their own purchases.

Digital Food Retail: Public Health Opportunities

For over two decades, digital food retail services have been emerging alongside advances in mobile technology and improved access to wi-fi. Digitalization has driven changes within the food environment, complicating an already complex system that influences food-related behaviors and eating practices. Digital food retail services support an infrastructure that enhances commercial food systems by extending access to and availability of highly processed foods, further escalating poor dietary intakes. However, digital food retail services are heterogeneous–food delivery apps, online groceries, and meal kits–and can be feasibly adapted to nutrition interventions and personalized to individual needs. Although sparse, new evidence indicates great potential for digital food retail services to address food insecurity in urban areas and to support healthy eating by making it easier to select, plan, and prepare meals. Digital food retail services are a product of the digital transformation that reflect consumers’ constant need for convenience, which must be addressed in future research and interventions. This paper will discuss public health opportunities that are emerging from the global uptake of digital food retail services, with a focus on online groceries, food delivery apps, and meal kits.

Beyond Ramen: Investigating Methods to Improve Food Agency among College Students

Many college students struggle to cook frequently, which has implications for their diet quality and health. Students' ability to plan, procure, and prepare food (food agency) may be an important target for shifting the college student diet away from instant and inexpensive staples like packaged ramen. The randomized intervention study included two sequential cooking interventions: (1) six weeks of cooking classes based in food agency pedagogy held once per week, and (2) six weekly home delivered meal kits (3 meals per kit) to improve food agency, diet quality, and at home cooking frequency of college students. Based on availability and subsequent randomization, participants were assigned to one of four conditions that included active cooking classes, meal kit provision, or no intervention. Participants who took part in the cooking intervention had significant improvement in food agency immediately following the intervention period. Participants who did not participate in cooking classes and only received meal kits experienced significant, though less pronounced, improvement in food agency scores following the meal kit provision. Neither intervention improved diet quality or routinely improved cooking frequency. Active cooking classes may improve food agency of college students, though further research is needed to determine how this may translate into improved diet quality and increased cooking frequency.