5 Key Insights from Parents about Healthy Food

This month’s insights are all about the topic of healthy food. We asked parents to tell us their views on healthy food purchase and healthy eating. Read on to find out more about 5 Key Insights From Parents About Healthy Food and to download our free insights report.
Would you like tailored insights for your brand? Use our trusted panels of engaged parents and our dedicated private platform to gather critical insights to help your decision making and activate customers. Contact us now to find how we can help.
This month’s Insights report gives feedback from parents and insights into their views on choosing healthy food options when shopping and their approach to healthy food. To gather this, we partnered with Innovate Solutions who carried out an online survey, then ParentsandBrands ran an online focus group with our trusted panel on our private platform.
5 Key Stats on Healthy Food Shopping and Eating
An online quantitative survey of 20 questions was distributed via email to 410 Irish female consumers across the country. The survey was active for 7 days and the total number of complete responses was 163.
Key stats for Healthy Food Shopping and Eating
- 77% of respondents say price is the most important factor to them when shopping for healthy products in supermarkets.
- 87% try to cook all their meals from scratch.
- 80% of respondents try to include a healthy snack in their lunch
- 76% of people buy ready meals at least once a month
- 59% of respondents are happy with nutrition labelling
Online Focus Group Insights
An Online Focus Group was carried out on the ParentsandBrands private platform in October 2020 with 23 parents from across Ireland.
Here are some of the key insights and feedback:
Purchasing of Healthy Food Products
“When purchasing, I prefer as close to the natural product as possible so little to no processing. Low sugar content and local Irish produce are also factors for me.”
Healthy Food Approach
“Try not to buy too many sweets. Shops have great offers on unhealthy items but not enough offers on good healthy food products. I cook from scratch as much as possible and limit takeaways to twice a month unless they go to their Nanny’s LOL.”
Lunch Habits
“I bring my lunch to work every day now but prior to Covid I would have eaten out for lunch 1 – 2 days a week. I am just eating and going straight back to work so only taking about 20 mins most days.”
Ready Meals
“I find things like the Chinese ready meals there is nothing in them and the stir fry we make from scratch is so nice. The same for lasagne, the shop bought ones are horrible and the ones we make are so fresh and tasty, there is no comparison. I do on occasion buy beef or chicken pies that I pick up in the fridge aisle. We would have them with chips.“
Nutrition Labelling
“More traffic light labelling for consumers, more transparency regarding sugar and sweeteners, transparency around a typical portion size for an adult and a better system of identifying exactly how much protein, fat etc is required by adults/kids.”
Key Recommendations for Brands
- Buyers are seeking more healthy options and deals will always drive sales, particularly as Price is the top deciding factor.
- Provide a wide range of/deals on healthy dry snacks such as popcorn & cereal bars & dairy, because these categories are considered important add-ons for lunch.
- Consider using taste panels to ensure your ready meals are hitting the right note with consumers. Draw attention to the naturalness & healthfulness of your ready meals.
Download This Month’s Free Insights Report
For more stats and insights into what women feel about healthy food products, download this month’s free Insights report on 5 Key Insights From Parents About Healthy Food and Eating.
In the report you’ll get in-depth survey stats, drill-down insights and recommendations.
Would you like insights from parents for your business? Talk to our panels of engaged mums and dads, using our dedicated private platform to gather critical insights to help influence and activate them. Contact us now to find how we can help.