Over half of Kiwis say they cook unhealthy meals for their family because they don’t have the time to do better, according to a new survey.

The HelloFresh study of 1,000 adults nationwide investigated New Zealander attitudes towards healthy eating and grocery shopping[1].

The research found that time constraints meant over half (53%) often cook themselves or their family something that's unhealthy for dinner. Those who answered yes were more likely to be among couples with both school/preschool-aged children, (73%, 70%).

NZ registered Dietitian Nikki Hart says it's clear that many Kiwi households are struggling to put a healthy family meal on the table. Hart says longer working days, hours spent commuting, shift-work, two parents working and many other issues are juggled with families also trying to manage different aged children and their after-school activities and sports.

“Covid lockdown eating habits suggested that many people may not have the knowledge or information required to cook healthily, hence the surge in take-aways as soon as levels were lifted.

“We know the reality is many Kiwis are regularly walking into a supermarket around 4-5 PM still not knowing what they are having for dinner,” she says.

The research also showed planning recipes and ingredients are considered the biggest barrier to meal preparation with three in ten (30%) Kiwi households struggling with this task. This is highest among single people living with friends (55%) and those 18-24 (59%) - possibly as a result of having to navigate group cooking situations such as in flats.

Choosing recipes that the whole household will eat was the next most common concern with a quarter (25%) of New Zealanders regularly grappling with this issue. Couples with school-aged children have the most trouble finding recipes that the whole household will eat (46%).

Hart says organisation is key to eating well and food kits can play a role in helping to achieve this.

“Meal kits take the guesswork out of ‘what are we having for dinner?’ They provide balanced nutritious meals and encourage people to explore different ingredients they may not have cooked with.

I like that meal kits are varied and ’sustainability’ is being addressed - better portion sizes for less food wastage,” she says.

A third (34%) of Kiwis are more likely to eat healthily if they see the food on social media. There is a strong correlation between youth and the likelihood of being influenced by social media food trends with more than half (56%) of generation Z (aged 18-24) following what they see on these platforms compared to a sixth (16%) of those aged 65+.

When it comes to who we look to for role models as healthy food ideas, more than a quarter (26%) of Kiwis look to nutritionists, a fifth (21%) learn from parents and family members, a seventh (14%) turn to their peers, a tenth (9%) use personal trainers, 8% follow celebrities and models while 7% emulate the healthy food advice of Government agencies.

Hart says she was thrilled to see Kiwis had a sensible attitude when it came to recognising who best to take nutritional advice from, as NZ Registered Dietitians and NZ Registered Nutritionists are still the gold standard for people wanting safe nutrition information.

Three in every ten (29%) households say they do not consume sufficient fresh produce. Those who felt they were getting the correct amount of vegetables were more likely to be aged 65+ (92%) and be male (74%).

When it comes to the dietary plans tried by Kiwis, the research found vegetarianism was the most popular with a fifth (19%) of respondents having trialled going meat-free at some stage. Of those who went vegetarian, this was significantly more likely in the under 34 age groups (29%).

Tom Rutledge, HelloFresh NZ CEO, says the rise in Kiwi customers opting into a vegetarian recipe preference increased by 21% since August 2020.

He says HelloFresh has quickly responded to the increase in demand by making it simple for customers to swap in vegetarian meals into their weekly boxes with the number of vegetarian recipes on the menu each week increasing to five this month.

“We know that sustainably-minded consumers are choosing to make more of their meals meat-free and our meal kits are a great way for those less familiar with vegetarian cooking to begin incorporating vego meals in their weekly diets. Not only do our recipes showcase just how delicious these meals can be, they also allow Kiwis to explore them in a controlled and waste-free way,” says Rutledge.

The research also revealed some of the potential barriers around in-store grocery shopping with 41% of Aucklanders preference is to not shop in-store currently.

For more than a fifth (22%) of respondents, the most disliked part of the experience was having to queue. Other issues included the time wasted (8%), uncertainty around what to buy for the week’s meals (8%), and parking (4%).

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