Browsing by Author "Weckström, Linda"

Aims. Reducing meat consumption has been a common topic of conversation in the media and in the scientific community. There are multiple reasons for reducing meat consumption. Often the choice to eat vegetarian meals or reduce meat consumption is motivated by health, environment or ethics. According to previous studies, women are more willing to reduce their meat consumption than men. In addition, women often take more responsibility of the home cooked meals. Living in a relationship is known to influence individual’s food habits. In this study answers were sought for questions such as why and how women use plant-based protein products and how do these products fit in to the relationship and family life. The aim of this study is to analyse the attitudes that women who use plant proteins have towards such products and towards vegetarian diet in general. Secondly, this study explores these women’s motivation for their food choices in general as well as for choosing vegetarian diet. The study also examines how the women arrange food preparation and eating in their homes and what kind of possibilities do they have on reducing meat consumption even more. Data and methods. Nine women age 25-40, living in Uusimaa, Finland took part in the study. All women lived either in a relationship or with their families. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation. The interviewees took photos of vegetarian dishes that they had eaten before the interview. Photos were used as a conversation starter and as a motivation tool. Interviews were recorded and the recordings transcribed. The data was analysed using theory-guided content analysis. Results and discussion. The most important reasons for choosing food from omnivore diet were the taste of food and its easiness and quickness to prepare. Vegetarian food choices were explained mostly by environmental factors, health and ethics. The reasons for choosing omnivore food and for choosing vegetarian food were thus different. The opinions towards new plant-based protein products varied. The interviewees who lived in a relationship did not experience major difficulties in adopting vegetarian food into their eating. In contrast, those women who had children felt that different food preferences caused some difficulties in the family. According to this study men’s food habits are influenced by women’s desire to eat vegetarian food. Getting a spouse to eat vegetarian food does not seem to be an issue for youngish and relatively highly educated couples and families.