SuperTarget Survey Finds Parents Make Family Meals a Priority
MINNEAPOLIS -- Despite busy lifestyles, Americans consider family meals a top priority, according to results of a recent survey commissioned by SuperTarget here and conducted by Harris Interactive.
The survey results suggest that food plays an integral part in the lives of American families. It found that parents of children under 18 typically eat dinner at home as a family about six times per week, and cook dinner about five times per week.
More than four in five parents (84 percent) go grocery shopping with the family at least once a week, and just over three in four parents (77 percent) cook dinner with their children equally as often.
"Families are busier than ever, and this research supports that eating dinner as a family is still a valued American tradition," said Dr. Susan Mitchell, registered dietitian and SuperTarget health and nutrition expert. "Involving children in meal preparation and grocery shopping early in life will help establish healthy eating patterns and help kids make better food choices throughout life."
In addition to eating as a family, food preparation and even grocery shopping are activities that families do together with regularity. Eighty-four percent of parents grocery shop with the family at least once a week, and the vast majority of parents (93 percent) typically prepare a home-cooked meal when eating dinner at home with their family.
The survey was conducted among 3,152 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older, of whom, 547 are the parent or guardian of a child under 18 living in their household between March 23 and 27, 2006.
Target operates 1,418 stores in 47 states.
The survey results suggest that food plays an integral part in the lives of American families. It found that parents of children under 18 typically eat dinner at home as a family about six times per week, and cook dinner about five times per week.
More than four in five parents (84 percent) go grocery shopping with the family at least once a week, and just over three in four parents (77 percent) cook dinner with their children equally as often.
"Families are busier than ever, and this research supports that eating dinner as a family is still a valued American tradition," said Dr. Susan Mitchell, registered dietitian and SuperTarget health and nutrition expert. "Involving children in meal preparation and grocery shopping early in life will help establish healthy eating patterns and help kids make better food choices throughout life."
In addition to eating as a family, food preparation and even grocery shopping are activities that families do together with regularity. Eighty-four percent of parents grocery shop with the family at least once a week, and the vast majority of parents (93 percent) typically prepare a home-cooked meal when eating dinner at home with their family.
The survey was conducted among 3,152 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older, of whom, 547 are the parent or guardian of a child under 18 living in their household between March 23 and 27, 2006.
Target operates 1,418 stores in 47 states.