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Cost of Preparing Convenience and Home‐Prepared Foods With an Electric Range and a Microwave Oven
Author(s) -
Richardson S.,
Phillips J.A.,
Axelson J.M.,
Lovingood R.P.,
Pearson J.M.,
Saltmarch M.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
home economics research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.372
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1552-3934
pISSN - 0046-7774
DOI - 10.1177/1077727x8501400104
Subject(s) - microwave oven , food preparation , business , wage , agricultural science , food science , agricultural economics , microwave , food processing , environmental science , economics , engineering , chemistry , labour economics , telecommunications
The composite cost of preparing 20 convenience foods and their home‐ prepared counterparts with an electric range and a microwave oven was deter mined. Per‐serving costs were calculated for food, fuel used in preparation, and active preparation time at two wage levels. The majority of convenience foods (74%) cost more for food alone than did the home‐prepared counterparts, while 52 percent of home‐prepared foods cost more for fuel alone. Nearly all home‐ prepared foods (98%) had a higher cost for active preparation time at either wage level. When food and fuel costs were combined, 74 percent of convenience foods cost more than the home‐prepared counterparts. However, when the cost of active preparation time was added, home‐prepared foods become more expen sive. The combined cost for food, fuel, and active preparation time at minimum wage was greater for 70 percent of home‐prepared foods than for convenience foods, and the combined cost with time valued at the market wage rate of a cook was greater for 91 percent of home‐prepared foods.