Influences on Food Away from Home Feeding Practices Among English and Spanish Speaking Parent–Child Dyads

Abstract

One contributor to increased caloric consumption and obesity rates is food consumed away from home. Families are increasingly consuming food away from home (FAFH), contributing to increased daily energy consumption and the obesity epidemic. The interplay between feeding styles and co-decision making between parent and child dyads when eating FAFH is not understood. The present study describes in-depth qualitative information about influential factors related to family feeding practices among low-income English and Spanish speaking families with school-aged children when eating FAFH. 20 parent–child dyads (10 English-speaking, 10 Spanish-speaking) completed key-informant interviews about factors related to family feeding practices when eating food away. Interviews were independently coded for meaning units by two coders. Themes that emerged from the interviews included: decision making when dining out, parental practices and feeding style, use of and opinions about kid’s menus, and overall influences on food choices. Many parents had recommendations for healthier kid’s menu options and overall, Spanish-speaking families tended to eat out fewer times a week and cooked more family meals. This research elucidated rules and policies set by parents around food away from and inside the home as well as the factors that influenced ordering at restaurants. Further studies should explore the cultural value of food in Latino cultures, and the resultant dietary behaviors. Decision-making between parent and child dyads about menu ordering at restaurants is complex. The results of this study can be considered for future research in understanding the decision-making process for English- and Spanish-speaking parent–child dyads when ordering from a restaurant menu.