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Preparation Time Does Not Reflect Nutrition and Varies Based on Level of Processing
Julie M Hess1, Madeline E Comeau1, Daniel G Palmer2
1US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Services, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND, United States.
The Journal of Nutrition
|May 25, 2025
Summary
Preparing less processed foods takes significantly longer than more processed options, despite similar nutritional value. This challenges convenience as a primary driver for choosing nutrient-dense meals.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Nutritional Science
- Consumer Behavior
Background:
- Convenience is a key factor influencing food choices.
- The effort required to prepare nutrient-dense foods can impact consumption decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare preparation times for meals with similar nutritional content but varying processing levels (Nova system).
Main Methods:
- Two research staff timed kitchen technicians preparing 15 sets of meals.
- Meals were categorized as less-processed Western (LPW) or more-processed Western (MPW).
- Mean preparation times were analyzed to the centisecond.
Main Results:
- Less-processed Western (LPW) meals took 203% longer to prepare than more-processed Western (MPW) meals.
- Total preparation time differences ranged from 90 minutes to 9 hours daily.
- Active preparation time differences varied from under a minute to over 2 hours.
Conclusions:
- Food preparation time does not correlate with nutrient density.
- Less-processed foods (e.g., homemade bread, dried beans) offer comparable nutrition to ultra-processed alternatives (e.g., ready-to-eat bread, canned beans).
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