Supervalu survey: Family meal-prep focused on being quick, nutritious and budget-friendly

MINNEAPOLIS Families are most concerned about saving money and time, and providing nutritious foods for their families that fit into their household budgets, according to a new Supervalu survey, which looks at the mealtime habits and concerns of American families with school-age children.

The survey, conducted for Supervalu by Harris Interactive, found that 68% of parents list “saving money” as their top food-related concern entering the new school year. Other top concerns among parents nationwide include “finding healthy foods on a budget” (52%), “making mealtime preparation easier” (48%), “being better prepared for meals” (44%) and “figuring out how to pack healthy lunches” (30%).

“It’s clear from the survey that today’s parents want nutritious, family-friendly foods that fit their budgets and busy lifestyles,” said Craig Stacey, Supervalu director health and wellness marketing. “As families gear up for the school year, we are focused on providing parents with simple, affordable food solutions and tasty, nutritious meal ideas that help them ease back into their school-year routines.”

The survey found that 74% of children have some or a lot of influence on the meals their parents make, and 54% of kids fend for themselves in the kitchen for breakfast.

Supervalu found that many parents are packing lunch for their children. Out of those children who bring a bag lunch to school each day of the school week, 50% of their parents said it is to save money, while 41% prefer to know what their children are eating, and 35% don't believe schools are providing a nutritious meal for their kids.

When asked if the amount of money spent on food this year has changed compared with the prior year, 62% of parents reported that they are spending about the same. Nearly one-third of parents said they are spending more than last year.