Convenience - What They Cost You By Dianne Ödland and Julein Axelson

m " onvenience foods have earned Younger people and adult males who pre- Êm themselves a regular place on the pared household spent a greater %^ shopping lists of many consumers. percentage of the dollar on conven- In fact, convenience foods of one type or ience products than older people and fe- another are probably used by nearly all male adults. On the average, a larger households in the . share of the food dollar was used for pur- chase of convenience foods in white Convenience foods include a wide range households than in black households and of products that have been fully or par- by people in the Northeast than by peo- tially prepared by food manufacturers ple in other regions of the country. rather than in the home. In effect, con- venience foods include all products ex- Understanding the differences in types of cept fresh items such as meat, produce, convenience foods on the market can be and eggs and basic processed food items helpful in making food buying decisions. that are used as ingredients, such as Convenience foods can be classified as , , fluid , butter, and either basic, complex, or manufactured. spices. Basic convenience foods are products in which basic processing techniques such A recent U. S. Department of Agriculture as , freezing, or drying have been (USDA) survey including over 14,000 applied to single-ingredient items or households showed that about 45 cents products with a limited number of ingre- of every dollar spent for food at home dients. Although these foods may save was for convenience items. Some house- some preparation time, they do not have holds relied more heavily on use of con- built-in "culinary expertise." Examples in- venience foods than others. For ex- clude instant dry potatoes, canned green ample, the survey showed that conven- beans, and frozen orange concen- ience foods accounted for more of the trate. Many of the basic-type conven- food dollar in households with higher ience foods are and prod- rather than lower levels of income and ucts. .

Dianne Ödland is a Home Economist, Consumer Nutrition Center, Information Service.

Julein Axelson is an Assistant Professor, Human Nutrition and Foods, Virginia Poly- technic Institute and State University, Blacksburg.

343 Complex convenience foods include of many kinds of convenience foods. In multi-ingredient "prepared" mixtures that the modem household, everyone's usually have a high level of timesaving busy — homemakers often work outside features and culinary expertise. Some the home, and meals are not always eat- examples include frozen ready-to-heat en at set times or as a family. Time is at plate and entrees, frozen vege- a premium. Frequently, becomes tables with a sauce or in a casserole, and a rushed affair and there is little time to ready-to-eat baked products. Manufac- prepare elaborate meals. Preparing, eat- tured convenience foods have no ing, and cleaning up after meals must fit home-prepared counterparts. Products in into busy schedules. Many convenience this category include foods such as ready-to-eat , crackers, some can- dies, carbonated beverages, and most al- coholic beverages.

Households in the survey spent about 42 percent of their dollar on basic items, about 42 percent on com- plex items, and about 16 percent on manufactured items. Basic convenience food products that were used by a large percentage of households included butter, frozen orange juice concentrate, pasteurized process , instant cof- fee, and several canned and frozen vege- tables. Commonly used complex conven- ience foods included white , - eon meats, canned , dry mix for , canned , jellies and jams, and ready-to-eat - ies. Cola-type carbonated beverages and alcoholic beverages represented a large portion of the money spent for manufac- tured convenience foods.

What Makes Foods Convenient? Changing lifestyles in the United States and an increased variety of convenience foods avaüable have led to increased use

\ Which to buy... a readymade calce or a cake mix? The dry mix irt this /lomema/ter's /eft hand contains ail the dry ingredients to maire a caire. However, it must be mixed and cooired to achieve a ready-to-serve form. The cake in her right hand Is already made and ready to eat.

344 foods offer ways to save time and effort expertise offered by some products is by eliminating preparation activities such convenient for people who lack food as cleaning, peeling, mixing, and . preparation skills or who have little Also, their use substantially reduces pre- equipment available for preparing foods. preparation chores (such as planning, Convenience foods may expand the va- buying, and storing ingredients) and riety of foods served in such families. clean-up chores (such as dishwashing). The ultimate in convenience is offered by Convenience foods have varying degrees products that are ready to eat or use as of built-in services. The built-in culinary purchased. Some products need only to

345 be thawed before serving; some are pre- is appropriate for your food budget and pared items which need only heating or that you're not paying more for conven- rehydrating with hot water. Others, such ience than you intend. In making cost as dry mixes that have most of the re- comparisons, remember that many fac- quired ingredients assembled in one tors influence the cost relationship be- package, must be mixed and cooked to tween home-prepared and convenience achieve ready-to-serve form. Several food forms. These include price in the convenience forms, offering varying de- store where purchased; "special" prices grees of "readiness," are available for of items; brands selected; quality and some foods. In fact, often the decision is packaging of items selected; and type not so much whether to buy the conven- and quantity of ingredients in conven- ience product or to prepare the food ience products compared to those used from scratch, but which convenience food in home recipes. form to buy. The following general guidelines illustrate Besides laborsaving and timesaving ad- basic cost relationships for equal amounts vantages associated with food prepara- of convenience foods and their fresh or tion, other desirable features of conven- home-prepared counterparts. They are ience foods include ease of storage, based on prices for items in three Wash- change in storage space requirements, ington, D, C., area in June ease in transporting the food from the 1982. Relative percentage costs are grocery to the home because of lighter based on equal weight servings of each weight or reduced bulk, and extended food form. storage life compared to fresh foods. • Basic-t3^e convenience foods, partic- Small Households ~ Single-portion pack- ularly , often cost less than ages of entrees and items and their fresh or home-prepared counter- small containers of and vegetables parts. An important point to remem- are tailor-made for one- or two-member ber, however, is that cost comparisons households and thus offer convenience to between fresh and processed produce this group, particularly since many fresh items depend upon seasonal price fluc- foods and many recipes for home-pre- tuations. Fresh fruits and vegetables in pared foods provide too many servings to season are sometimes available at - be practical Their use, especially in gain prices and may cost less than small households, may reduce processed food forms. and decrease the chance of . * Complex-type convenience products Making Cost Comparisons that offer a high level of culinary ex- Rising food prices and the seemingly un- pertise often cost more than similar limited choice of convenience foods avail- foods made from home recipes. Main able at the complicate food dishes and baked goods made from a buying decisions. Some convenience mix often cost about the same as or foods are far more expensive, some cost less than their homemade versions. In about the same or even less than similar figuring comparative costs, remember foods prepared at home. In selecting to include ingredients that must be food forms, be sure the cost of the item added to mixes.

346 Cost Comparisons — Basic-Type Convenience Foods

Relative cost

Percent

Fresh green beans 100 Canned green beans 62 Frozen green beans 90

Home-prepared french- 100 Frozen french-fried potatoes 83

Juice squeezed from fresh oranges 100 Ready-to- orange juice reconstituted from frozen concentrate 65 Pasteurized orange juice 86 Canned orange juice 63 Frozen orange juice concentrate 46

Fluid skim milk 100 Instant nonfat dry milk 65

• Manufactured-type convenience foods large containers doesn't save money if such as carbonated and alcoholic bev- the food spoils before you use it. erages offer calories but little in the way of nutrients. They are expensive Prices differ from store to store and "extras. " If you need to trim your food from brand to brand. Some price differ- budget, this might be a good place to ences may be associated with food qual- start. ity differences; others may not. Store brands and generic foods (no brand name • Some items have more than one con- shown) often cost less than widely venience food form ( is an ex- known products. For example, generic ample). Those with more built-in con- green beans priced in Washington, D.C. venience usually cost more. area supermarkets cost about three-fifths as much as a nationally advertised brand. • Buying the large rather than the small container size of a convenience food Fuel You Use, and Your Time sometimes results in worthwhile sav- Usually the largest cost in preparing a ings. Unit prices posted on the shelves food at home is for ingredients, but it is of many supermarkets can help you not necessarily the only cost to consider find the most economical size to buy. in making food purchase decisions. You Buy only what you can store properly may also want to consider the cost of and use without waste, though. Buying fuel for preparation and the value of the

347 Cost Comparisons — Complex-Type Convenience Foods Relative cost Percent Main dishes Homemade with mashed potatoes and 100 Frozen, ready-to-heat fried chicken plate 144

Homemade lasagna 100 Frozen lasagna 144

Vegetables Fresh broccoli with butter sauce 100 Frozen broccoli with butter sauce (boil-in-the-) 180

Baked products Homemade white bread 100 Ready-to-eat white bread (firm-crumb type) 227 Ready-to-eat white bread (soft-crumb type) 82

Homemade 100 Frozen waffles 268

Homemade apple pie 100 Ready-to-eat apple pie 185

Cost Comparisons — Convenience Items Made From a Mix

Relative cost Percent

Homemade chili-macaroni 100 Chili macaroni from a mix 116

Homemade macaroni and cheese 100 Macaroni and cheese from a mix 33

Homemade 100 Pancakes from a mix (just add water) 102

Homemade cake 100 Chocolate cake from a mix 53

348 Pizza Cost Comparisons Relative cost Percent

Homemade pizza 100 Pizza from a mix 144 Frozen pizza 179

Pizza Cost Comparisons (includes cost for food and active preparation time) Relative cost Percent

Homemade pizza 100 Pizza from a mix 82 Frozen pizza time you spend preparing the food. Even time than their fresh or home counter- though the cost of fuel is a delayed cost parts, the cost of labor for preparing con- and is usually insignificant compared to venience products at home is sometimes the cost of food ingredients, you may appreciably lower than for preparing sim- want to consider it if cost is the primary ilar foods from a recipe. Recent studies basis for food purchase decisions. by both USDA and the Virginia Polytech- nic Institute and State University show Foods cooked on the stovetop usually re- that if the cost of preparation time is quire less fuel for preparation than those added to food costs, many convenience cooked in a conventional oven and, of foods become less expensive than their , longer cooking periods at higher homemade counterparts. temperatures require more fuel than shorter periods at lower temperatures. The cost of time is a theoretical rather Thus, comparing the amount of fuel re- than a real, out-of-pocket cost. However, quired for preparing home recipes versus assigning a monetary value to the worth convenience products depends on cook- of your time may be helpful in weighing ing methods as well as times and tem- alternatives. The 1982 Federal minimum peratures used for cooking. Many con- wage was used in calculating cost for the venience foods require about the same or second pizza example. Calculations were less fuel than similar foods made from a based on the time for all preparation home recipe. Ready-to-eat convenience steps that require full or partial attention foods, of course, require no fuel for (active preparation time). Time for steps home preparation. such as were not included since "the cook" is free for other activities. The Time Factor — Because most con- venience foods require less preparation Family food preferences need to be con-

349 Container Size Cost Comparisons Relative cost Percent

Peaches — 29-ounce can 100 — 16-ounce can 131 Peaches — 8-ounce can 211 Peaches — individual serving containers 210

sidered in determining the acceptability of fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables. convenience foods. The best way to de- Fresh fruits at their peak, however, may termine whether a product suits you is to be higher in some than frozen try it. Some items may not live up to and canned fruits. your standards. For example, you may prefer more of an ingredient such as The overall nutritional content of complex meat, poultry, fish, or cheese than is convenience products compared to sim- provided by a convenience entree. Or ilar home-prepared foods depends pri- you may prefer the appearance, texture, marily on the ingredients used. The com- and/or of fresh or homemade position of convenience foods sometimes foods. If your cooking skills are limited, differs from products prepared from typi- however, some convenience products cal home recipes. For example, some may be superior to homemade versions. convenience entrees contain a higher Although some convenience products proportion of components such as may be less acceptable than foods you or sauce and a lower proportion of meat, prepare yourself from home recipes, poultry, fish, or cheese than their they may be satisfactory on occasions home-prepared counterparts. Therefore, when limited time is available for food they may provide less , vitamins, preparation or if their cost is low enough. and minerals.

Nutrition, Additives Some convenience foods may contain Many consumers are concerned about more , sugar, and than foods the nutritional quality and healthfulness of made from scratch. However, in re- processed foods. Some are particularly sponse to consumer concerns regarding uneasy about the use of food additives. excessive consumption of these sub- Many convenience foods are similar in stances, many companies nutrient content to fresh or home-prepar- are beginning to reduce the amount of fat ed foods; others may differ. Fresh fruits and salt in complex convenience foods and vegetables are usually at the peak of such as soups, beef stew, and boil-in-a- their nutritional value immediately after bag foods and the amount of sugar in harvest. Food processors make every ef- canned finits and items. fort to preserve them while they are fresh to assure the best quality. As Food additives are frequently used in served, there is not a great deal of dif- convenience foods to maintain nutritional ference in the nutritional content of content; improve keeping quality; en-

350 hance appearance, texture, and flavor; Although cost may be a major considera- and aid in processing. For example, moid tion in making food choices, it is not al- growth on bread and other baked prod- ways the only one. For example, even at ucts is controlled by use of mold inhib- a higher cost than similar foods prepared itors, and the quality of in dishes at home, some convenience products such as frozen meat pies or the filling in may be a good buy if they suit your indi- frozen fruit pie is improved by using vidual needs. By the same token, con- specially developed starches that can venience products that are much less ex- withstand freezing and thawing. The pensive than home-prepared foods may safety aspects of food additives, such as not be a good buy if you are not satisfied these, are under continuous review by with their quality, if they don't contribute the Food and Drug Administration significantly toward your planned nutri- (FDA). tional intake, or for other reasons.

You have more control over composition Answering the following questions will if you prepare food yourself. Therefore, help you determine whether a conven- if you and your famñy have dietary re- ience food is suitable for you and your strictions or are concerned about the family's use: Will the convenience food amounts of substances such as fat, form save a significant amount of prep- sugar, sodium, and additives in food, you aration time over preparing the product may prefer to prepare foods yourself. from scratch or from alternative conven- ience food forms? Will the product pro- Keep in mind that the total nutritional vide the desired number of servings? Are quality of your diet depends more on the facilities available for proper storage of combination of foods you select over a the product? Will eating quality of the period of time, rather than on whether product be acceptable to your family? you use convenience foods or not. The How will the food contribute to the nutri- best way to ensure a nutritionally ade- tional quality of your meals? Does cost of quate diet is to include a variety of food the food fit into your family food budget? items in your meals. Buüd your meals around a varied selection of vegetables If you like the convenience features of and fruits; whole-grain and enriched products but think they cost too much, and cereals; milk and milk prod- or if you prefer homemade quality, you ucts; and lean meat, poultry, fish, and can always make your own convenience dry beans and . foods. When you have time, prepare ex- tra food and freeze in the desired portion Making the Final Decision sizes for use on occasions when you're in Which food form to buy is a personal de- a hurry. Pancakes, waffles, dinner rolls, cision. You must weigh the benefits and plate dinners, sauce, and la- disadvantages of buying alternative food sagna are examples of convenience items forms. Every family has different prior- you can make yourself. ities and different expectations from the food products purchased.

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