Adults vs adolescents : who is the best food consumer? : does home economics assist in making smart consumers?

Abstract

The presence of Home Economics as a subject within secondary schools has been prominent along the years due to its varied syllabus which intends to provide skills and knowledge related to food, family and the environment. The researcher was hence interested in exploring whether Home Economics helps or hinders the application of such knowledge to real life situations and observe which generation does so best. A total of eight participants’ food choices were observed in their chosen supermarkets after the selection of food products for four different scenarios. Individual interviews were conducted by the researcher to explore factors which influence food product choices. The participants’ shopping lists containing various products were analysed according to their nutritional content and price. The adolescents’ choices were richest in all nutrients, including carbohydrates and sodium. This therefore proved that the adults made the best nutritionally balanced choices. The Home Economics students who participated in this study often opted for processed food items which were calorie dense. Major factors which influenced food choices throughout included: personal likes, brand names, convenience and pride in one’s creation of a dish or dessert, such as cakes. All participants successfully adapted to different situations presented in the mentioned scenarios, with adolescents being more creative with their choices. In conclusion, even though Home Economics is equipped with syllabi which can provide skills to its students, it is not the subject that influences adolescents’ choices mostly, but other intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors like convenience and taste respectively.