We studied the use of ready-to-serve dishes and grounds for their use, their experiences of tasting and preparing, culinary knowledge and willingness to cook among housewives who are mainly responsible for preparing meals at home. The survey was conducted between December, 1984 and January, 1985 among 1, 332 subjects in charge of cooking in Osaka area. Obtained data were classified according to age and profession.
The results are as follows.
1) Over 1/3 of respondents shopped for grocery 3 to 4 times a week; most of those in their 40s and 50s shopped 5 to 6 times a week.
2) Forty three % of the respondents spent 45 to 60 minutes for preparing supper. Those holding jobs spent 30 to 45 minutes while those with no jobs spent 60 to 90 minutes.
3) Among 10 items which the respondents cooked at home during the past year were steamed egg custard (24%) and corn potage (41%). The items purchased as ready-to-serve dishes were steamed egg custard, croquette, Jiaozi-dumplings, roasted fish, etc. Reasons for purchase were that they were easy to eat, troublesome to prepare, easy to purchase, etc.
4) Those dishes that respondents did not prepare at home such as egg custard, corn potage and Ma-Pou bean were also the dishes which some did not know how to prepare, which some had not eaten for a year, and which some did know how to prepare but did not make.
5) Respondents who cooked all of ten dishes were those who always cooked their meals and those who didn't tended to purchase ready-to-serve dishes for reasons of convenience.
6) The processes which were found troublesome were chopping, wrapping, preparing fish and cooling ingredients which were time consuming, and steaming, making broth, rolling ingredients skillfully which required culinary skills.
7) Those who spent longer time in preparing suppers were housewives who held no jobs, those who loved cooking, those with bigger families and those older than average (but younger than 60), those who had more number of cooking utensils, those who have tasted or made the ten dishes, those who had knowledge of cooking or those willing to try.
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