Mothers' perceptions about cooking at home: A qualitative systematic review

Traditionally, mothers have been regarded as the primary agents responsible for transmitting culinary knowledge and cooking skills within the domestic environment, but this transmission has declined over the years. To develop strategies aimed at reverting this trend, understanding mothers' perceptions about cooking at home is of paramount importance.

What are mothers' perceptions about cooking at home?

The search for published studies was conducted in the databases SCOPUS, Web of Science, PubMed, SciELO, and PsycINFO. The search for unpublished studies (grey literature) included Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, and the Brazilian Theses and Dissertations Catalogue. Searches were conducted between June and July 2023 and followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Data extraction and analysis employed the meta-aggregation approach proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).

Ninety-one studies were selected for full-text assessment, of which 38 were initially included in this review. After critical evaluation, 31 studies were included in the review. Findings were grouped into three synthesized findings: Familial transfer habit: from childhood to motherhood; Challenges, strategies and practices; and Cooking and emotions. Mothers learn to cook by observing other women and feel responsible for this, which affects the division of tasks and the involvement of children. Cooking brings mixed feelings, being seen both as an act of love and a source of exhaustion.

Mothers are still responsible for cooking at home, influencing how children learn to cook, often based on gender roles. To promote the transmission of culinary knowledge, it is essential to implement public policies that encourage the development of cooking skills among all family members, especially children and adolescents.