Empirical analysis of smart eating habits

There remains a lack of theoretical understanding regarding the effects of smart systems on people's eating habits. Furthermore, few empirical studies have comprehensively analyzed the impact of smart food systems on users, considering the users' environmental orientation. To address this gap, we conducted an empirical analysis using a uniquely designed questionnaire survey and investigated the influence of smart social background and smart consciousness and behavior on cooking effort indicators among cooks utilizing convenience foods. Our analysis employed a theoretical model based on the household production function. Our empirical findings show that smart social background, consciousness, and behavior, along with increased environmental orientation, amplify convenience food use reducing cooking efforts among cooks. Our theoretical model suggests that cooks with smart and environmentally oriented behaviors tend to have more comprehensive eating habits and value on their cooking efforts, allowing them to choose their level of engagement wisely. However, if cooks aim to reduce their environmental impact without awareness of superior convenience food options, they might exert more effort. Smarter eating habits consistently improve cooks' well-being, particularly when combined with an environmental orientation towards convenience foods. Providing environmentally oriented cooks with guidance on the appropriate use of convenience foods emerges as a critical policy consideration. Furthermore, currently available convenience foods do not alleviate the burden on cooks when making menu decisions. Thus, it is essential to develop policies addressing these challenges. This study confirmed that smarter eating habits and an environmental orientation experience consistently improve the well-being of cooks. • We developed a smart-eating model that applies a household production function. • As Cooks become smarter, the intensity of their use of convenience food also increases. • The higher the environmental orientation, the higher the intensity of convenience food use. • Increasing the intensity of convenience food usage helps alleviate cooking effort. • Matching environmental orientation and appropriate convenience food use is important.