Browsing by Author "Pellikka, Katri"

The goal of this master’s thesis is to describe and interpret how everyday food preparation is accommodated in families with teenage vegetarians. This thesis is based on an ecocultural view of proactive and adaptive families (Weisner & Gallimore, 1994; Gallimore et al., 1989; 1993). The data were collected in a family interview that combined theme- and stimulated recall -interviews. The stimulated recall -material was a photo food diary, that the participating youths (n=6) kept for 5–7 days by photographing everything they ate and sending the photos by WhatsApp to the thesis writer. Each diary entry contained a photo and a short set of notes. In the interview the youths described their everyday lives surrounding the photos. Their participating family members (n=8) added to these descriptions to build the frames of everyday life in their families. Discussion themes were also added from a theme interview guide written by the thesis writer. The interview material was analyzed using content analysis. The material was coded and themed by using the Atlas.ti software, after which the results were divided into categories by type. The everyday life food types were named the hedonistic, pragmatic and enabling type. Through these types an understanding was formed about food preparation in everyday life of families with teenage vegetarians and the accommodating actions, which are used in each type of family. The accommodating actions were adapted according to the practices already used in the families. Vegetarian food was given the same kind of meanings, which already existed in the family culture. In the hedonistic type also vegetarian food was made meaningful through its good flavor, which led to adaptation by testing new foods adventurously and making vegetarian food for the whole family. In the hedonistic type vegetarian food was made meaningful, as was nonvegetarian food, through it being fuel for family members enabling other activities. The vegetarian was offered a vegetarian version of non-vegetarian food the other family members ate. In the enabling type family members ate different foods, because each family member had different kinds of liking and needs, and all of these wanted to be catered to. For this to be possible, ready meals and restaurant food was frequently used unless the vegetarian youth made their own food. In conclusion, products made to substitute meat and other animal products, good knowledge on food and cooking, vast resources the families had available and treating food preparation as a hobby made the accommodative activities easier.