Eating healthy is easier said than done, and a healthy diet takes effort every day. A new survey in the US has drawn attention to why Americans aren’t eating healthy meals — they’re too tired to cook after work. After spending their entire day attending meetings, giving presentations and meeting deadlines, most people are too tired to come home and cook. The survey of 2,000 ordinary Americans revealed that 77% admit there are days when they are too tired to cook after work.
Not only this, one-fifth of the respondents reported that they got so tired while cooking that they fell asleep while cooking. The research was conducted online by Talker Research between August 5 and August 12, 2024 and commissioned by Kevin’s Natural Foods.
It turns out that Monday is the hardest day to cook after work. When asked which days are the most challenging to prepare a home-cooked meal – Monday was the hardest for those surveyed (35%), followed by a tie between Wednesday and Friday (29%). Only 12% of respondents said they “never” get overwhelmed by their busy schedule.
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Many people said that after work they are very tired and are unable to cook food. Photo: iStock
So, what do they do when they’re tired after a long day and hungry? Respondents often turn to their favorite convenience foods. Here are the most popular and “convenient” options according to the survey:
- Sandwiches – 42%
- Fast food – 37%
- Microwaveable dinners – 33%
- Frozen convenience foods/meals – 31%
- Ramen Noodles – 29%
- Eggs – 25%
- Delivery/takeout – 22%
- Leftover food – 19%
- Various snacks – 19%
- Air fryer meals – 18%
One in four respondents (26%) admit they order takeout several times a week. More than half of these people (61%) regret this choice because of its nutritional value.
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About 78% of respondents reported that eating healthy is important to them. However, several barriers prevent people from making healthy dietary choices in their daily routine. The top barriers are:
- Healthy foods are too expensive (41%)
- Not having enough time to prepare healthy meals (26%)
- Hard to find healthy ingredients (19%)
Inconvenience is a major barrier between Americans and a healthy diet. About 74% of those surveyed said they would be interested in eating a healthier diet if it were more convenient.
Quick and easy recipes can help you prepare a healthy home-cooked meal after a tiring day. Are you also looking for quick recipes? Here are 20 quick and easy dinner recipes for you.
