Grandma always thinks you are hungry: Understanding care-driven food waste in multigenerational households

Caregivers in multigenerational households frequently purchase and stockpile excessive food due to fears that their grandchildren might go hungry or as an expression of affection, with grandparents most prominently exhibiting these behaviours. Such practices often lead to unnecessary food consumption and waste. Known colloquially in China as ‘Grandma Always Thinks You Are Hungry’, the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon remain underexplored. This study developed a comprehensive model to explain caregiver-driven food waste behaviours in Chinese multigenerational households by integrating frameworks from behavioural and social psychology, using structural equation modelling, multi-group analysis and artificial neural networks. Cognitive dissonance emerged as the primary psychological mechanism driving food waste among caregivers. It significantly reduced intentions to minimise food waste (β = −0.259) through three pathways: diminishing negative attitudes towards waste (β = −0.219), weakening perceived behavioural control (β = −0.214) and undermining subjective norms (β = −0.131). The false consensus effect (β = 0.219) further amplified cognitive dissonance by causing caregivers to overestimate grandchildren’s nutritional needs. These mechanisms were most pronounced among grandparents and female family members, creating distinctive patterns of ‘intergenerational bonding’ and ‘maternal care’. Multi-group analysis revealed that the effects of cognitive dissonance were significantly stronger among grandparents than parents, confirming the phenomenon’s particular relevance to elder caregivers. Future food waste reduction strategies should specifically target grandparent caregivers in multigenerational households. Educational campaigns promoting ‘moderation as a form of care’ may effectively mitigate unnecessary household food waste stemming from the ‘Grandma Always Thinks You Are Hungry’ mindset.