1. The Busy Life & Family Meals
Jayelle Hegewald
SOC
November 30, 2014

2. Table of Contents Reflection I Article I- Too Busy
Article II- Who Has Time To Cook?
Table- Hours at Work
Photo- No Time to Cook: Convenience Foods
Chart- Family Dinners
Reflection II

3. Reflection I Summary
To what extent does a busy lifestyle impact the eating habits of individuals and families?
One of the areas that takes a particular hit when we are busy is our eating habits.
When time is scheduled away to other activities, there is less time for meal planning and preparation.
As a casualty of ‘the busy life’, our diets suffer, and, in turn, our overall health suffers.
Full Reflection I

4. Too Busy: Why time is a health and environmental problem
In this article, the connection between time and healthy lifestyle is discussed.
The article points out that we must begin to view our time as a resource, like our money, and we must also respect that it is not unlimited.
The burden of little leisure time is something that is upon both men and women, many of whom are working parents.
When individuals don’t have the leisure time available, due to work pressures and childcare, this has a negative impact on their ability to eat and prepare healthy meals.
Citation:
Strazdins, Lyndall and Bernadette Loughrey. "Too busy: why time is a health and environmental problem." NSW Public Health Bulletin (2007): 220.

5. Who Has Time To Cook?
This article examines how time is allocated among families, including time spent working and preparing meals.
The article finds that women who do not work outside the home will spend about 70 minutes per day on food preparation.
Women who work part-time will spend about 55 minutes per day on food preparation.
Women who work full-time will spend about 40 minutes per day on food preparation.
This illustrates how the increased demands on women affect their ability to prepare healthy meals.
Citation:
Mancino, Lisa and Constance Newman. "Who Has Time to Cook?" United States Department of Agriculture (2007).  

6. How Adults at Work Affect Food Preparation Time
Citation:
Economic News Release. 8 May December 2014.

7. No Time to Cook: Convenience Foods
Photo taken by Jayelle Hegewald December 1, 2014
I asked 20 friends what they would cook for their families if they only had 20 minutes to prepare the meal. The above items represent items that many of them included in their answers. Many of these items are high in sodium and sugar, and low in nutritional value, with almost a complete lack of fruits and vegetables.
Our lives are busier than ever, yet we still must eat.
Food manufacturers and grocery stores accommodate our busy lives by stocking quick-cooking, processed and preserved foods.

8. How Many Days per Week American Families Eat Dinner Together Children who eat with their families at least 3 days a week are less likely to try drugs, have lower stress levels and perform better in school.
Citation:
Kiefer, Heather Mason. Empty Seats: Fewer Families Eat Together . 20 January December 2014

9. Reflection II Summary
What did you learn from the signature assignment research that you did not already know?
Mothers are busier than ever before
Most mothers are, in fact, working and not staying home
Adults have very little leisure or ‘left over’ time after work and childcare
Family meals are increasingly important
Full Reflection II