Parents have been turning to caffeine and snacks to get through the coronavirus pandemic
- The coronavirus pandemic is doing a number on the eating habits of parents with children under the age of 18 in the United States.
- An April survey from the International Food Information Council collected insights from consumers regarding the purchasing and consumption of food and beverages during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Parents were more likely to snack, consume multiple different caffeinated products, and feel a lack of satisfaction over meals than individuals without children.
As many parents find themselves juggling full-time childcare along with their full-time jobs, many are turning to snacks and caffeine to get through the coronavirus pandemic, according to a recent survey from the International Food Information Council.
The nonprofit's 2020 Food & Health Survey featured 1,011 participants between the ages of 18 and 80 in the United States. Market research company Greenwald & Associates gleaned insights on eating habits from survey-takers between April 8 and April 16, 2020. The results indicated that parents with children under the age of 18 may be turning to some unhealthy COVID-19-related coping mechanisms in the kitchen, including snacking between meals, heightened caffeine intake, and emotional eating.
A total of 41% of these parents said that they are "snacking more." Only 29% of respondents without children said the same. But moms and dads aren't the only demographic to raid the kitchen between meals during the pandemic. The survey found that 31% of women said "they are thinking about food more than usual," as opposed to 22% of men.
Parents with underage kids are relying on caffeine during the pandemic. The survey found that "parents are much more likely to need caffeine with lunch in comparison to those without children." Only 15% of non-parent respondents consume caffeine at lunch, while 26% of parents said they relied on the noontime boost. 67% of parents said they consumed the stimulant in "multiple ways," as opposed to 55% of respondents without children.
The IFIC survey found that coffee was the most popular caffeinated beverage among consumers, followed by soft drinks and then tea.
A third of parents with young children said they "eat when they are feeling emotional," and the survey found that "parents are also less likely to feel satisfied by their food."
The coronavirus has not only taken a hit on parents' personal eating habits, though. The parents included in IFIC's survey also expressed a number of specific food-related fears in their responses. On the subject of in-person grocery shopping during the coronavirus pandemic, 43% of parents said they felt "concerned" about making a run to the supermarket. A third of participants without children said they shared similar anxieties.
Parents are also more pessimistic about "the average American's diet," with 22% of respondents with children saying they believe that US citizens' eating habits will grow "worse over the next decade."
But the survey does indicate that some parents with young children are working to stay healthy, despite the added stress.
The IFIC survey found that parents — along with women, city-dwellers, and individuals earning a high income — are more likely to be using "some sort of health monitoring device or app." Only 15% of participants without children reported using such wellness tools, while 27% of parents have begun tracking their health. Over half of parents said they deemed "animal welfare" an important factor in deciding what food or beverages to purchase, as opposed to 42% of consumers without children.