Qualitative Investigation of the Meanings of Eating Fruits and Vegetables for Adult Couples

Objective

The purpose of this study was to develop a substantive theory expressing the meanings couples associated with eating fruits and vegetables.

Design

This inductive qualitative study was based on a grounded theory approach and employed the constant comparison method of data analysis. Data were collected using semistructured individual interviews and a life history approach.

Subjects

Ten adult couples, aged 20 to 60 years, with and without children, all of whom were born in North America, were recruited using modified snowball sampling.

Results

Two overarching themes emerged. The “should syndrome” describes a morality concerning fruit and vegetable consumption arising from a tension between the low status of these foods in participants' childhood homes and their contemporary idealized status. The creation of couple gastronomies expresses couples' efforts to construct their own food norms and practices within a context of changes in social norms and fruit and vegetable availability. The substantive theory, making choices that balance their lives, conveys the dynamic processes involved in participants' fruit and vegetable choices.

Implications

Future research will determine the transferability of the “should syndrome” and new couples' receptiveness to trying new fruits and vegetables. Understanding the changing contexts of food choice may help nutrition professionals better support healthful eating.