A recipe for success: exploratory studies of the predictors of cultivated meat provision by parents of children 6-10 and 11-15 years of age

Thomas, Jason M. and Alving-Jessep, Emma and Farrow, Claire V. and Theodosiou, Eirini and Tuck, Nicola-Jayne and Edwards, Katie L. and Souppez, Jean-Baptiste and Blissett, Jacqueline M. (2026) A recipe for success: exploratory studies of the predictors of cultivated meat provision by parents of children 6-10 and 11-15 years of age. Appetite, 222. p. 108532. ISSN 0195-6663

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Abstract

Background
Novel and potentially sustainable alternative proteins, such as cultivated meat, face many barriers when entering the consumer market, yet these are less well explored with children and their parents.
Aims
Across two exploratory online cross-sectional studies, we aimed to investigate the factors influencing the likelihood of trying and regularly consuming cultivated meat, with a focus on parents, their children, and the family.
Methods
Study 1 recruited UK parents of children 6-10 years of age (n = 475) and Study 2 recruited UK parents of children 11-15 years of age (n = 453). Studies included questionnaires relating to parents and children, including measures of eating behaviour, neophobia, and child temperament.
Results
Using a backward stepwise regression approach, across both studies, familiarity with cultivated meat, acceptance of new technologies and processes, and attitudes towards cultivated meat positively predicted how likely parents were to provide, try and regularly consume cultivated meat, for themselves, their children, and their family. Acceptance of cultivated meat, and attitudes towards conventional beef, generally predicted these outcomes also, whereas eating behaviour and temperament were selective predictors. Of note, child neophobia and child food fussiness were not significant predictors of provision.
Conclusion
Together, these exploratory findings are useful for theory development, and speculatively suggest that familiarity with cultivated meat, acceptance of new technologies and processes, and attitudes towards cultivated meat could be used to enhance the acceptance of cultivated meat, e.g., communicating key benefits of cultivated meat to the consumer, to enhance positive attitudes.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1016/j.appet.2026.108532
Dates:	Date Event 5 March 2026 Accepted 12 March 2026 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Cultivated meat, Acceptance, Parent, Child, Family, Eating behaviour
Subjects:	CAH10 - engineering and technology > CAH10-01 - engineering > CAH10-01-01 - engineering (non-specific)
Divisions:	Architecture, Built Environment, Computing and Engineering > Engineering
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	19 Mar 2026 14:26
Last Modified:	19 Mar 2026 14:26
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16931

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