62
63
64
65
66
SECTION 9.
Housewives' Criticism of Recipes.
All the housewives interviewed were asked,“What criticisms have you of the Recipes given”; this question received 1,684 answers.
These answers were very varied and not all of them were strictly to the point.
The largest groups were; those who criticized the recipes as unpractical in one way or another, these were 407 housewives or 24.2%; those who thought the recipes were helpful, sensible etc., were 404 or 23.9% and those who would express no definite opinion, 640 or 38.0%.
These answers have been analysed by Class, Age, Without and With Children, Family Size, by Fuel and by Urban and Rural. These results are given below in tables 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and in order to display the variety of the answers, particularly in the “Unpractical” group, the numbers are given for the separate answers although the percentages are given for the groups.
Breakdown by Class.
The proportions of the answers in each group are very nearly the same, one difference is perhaps important; in the
“Unpractical” group the proportion of housewives who found it difficult to obtain various ingredients or found them too expensive, were least in Class A, and highest in Class C. (Table 1).
TABLE 1.
“What criticisms have you of the recipes given?”
Breakdown by Class.
|
|
A
|
%
|
B
|
%
|
C
|
%
|
D
|
%
|
Total
|
%
|
|
Unpractical - Takes too long
|
4
|
44
|
18.5
|
6
|
70
|
24.6
|
19
|
188
|
26.4
|
9
|
105
|
23.4
|
38
|
407
|
24.2
|
|
Unpractical -Ingredients too expensive
|
3
|
6
|
23
|
20
|
52
|
|
Unpractical -Too fancy
|
11
|
14
|
34
|
18
|
77
|
|
Unpractical -Can’t get ingredients (Unqualified general)
|
18
|
29
|
91
|
40
|
178
|
|
Unpractical -Can’t get sugar
|
-
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
7
|
|
Unpractical -Can’t get eggs
|
-
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
10
|
|
Unpractical Can’t get fats
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
|
Unpractical -Can’t get oatmeal
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
2
|
|
Unpractical -Can’t get suet
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
|
Unpractical -Can’t get spices
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
|
Unpractical -(Unqualified)
|
3
|
11
|
12
|
10
|
36
|
|
More time should be allowed for writing down recipes.
|
6
|
|
2.5
|
3
|
|
1.1
|
15
|
|
2.1
|
7
|
|
1.6
|
31
|
|
1.8
|
|
Recipes are insipid, too much the same type always.
|
3
|
10
|
4.2
|
4
|
17
|
6.0
20
|
6
|
35
|
4.9
|
1
|
16
|
3.6
|
14
|
78
|
4.6
|
|
Recipes would not turn out well.
|
-
|
1
|
9
|
3
|
13
|
|
Unfavourable, e.g. messy, all rubbish
|
7
|
12
|
|
12
|
51
|
|
Know it all already
|
6
|
8
|
3.4
|
5
|
6
|
2.1
|
9
|
19
|
2.7
|
4
|
12
|
2.7
|
24
|
45
|
2.7
|
|
Own ideas better
|
2
|
1
|
10
|
8
|
21
|
|
Inconvenient time
|
1
|
|
0.4
|
-
|
|
|
5
|
|
0.7
|
-
|
|
|
6
|
|
0.4
|
|
Favourable (“good”, “Helpful”, “Sensible”)
|
55
|
60
|
25.2
|
63
|
65
|
22.9
|
149
|
160
|
22.4
|
111
|
119
|
26.6
|
378
|
404
|
23.9
|
|
Favourable and all recipes that have been tried have turned out well.
|
5
|
2
|
11
|
8
|
26
|
|
None (include “can’t say”, “haven’t taken enough notice”)
|
98
|
|
41.2
|
109
|
|
38.4
|
260
|
|
36.4
|
173
|
|
38.6
|
640
|
|
38.0
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
11
|
|
4.6
|
14
|
|
4.9
|
32
|
|
4.5
|
16
|
|
3.6
|
73
|
|
4.3
|
|
Total
|
238
|
|
|
284
|
|
|
714
|
|
|
448
|
|
|
1,684
|
|
|
Breakdown by Age.
There appear to be no important differences between the criticism of the different age groups. (Table 2).
TABLE 2.
“What criticisms have you of the recipes given?”
Breakdown by Age.
|
|
Under 35
|
%
|
35 - 50
|
%
|
Over 50
|
%
|
Total
|
|
Unpractical - Takes too long
|
12
|
103
|
23.2
|
16
|
197
|
26.2
|
10
|
96
|
21.8
|
38
|
396
|
|
Unpractical -Ingredients too expensive
|
9
|
27
|
16
|
52
|
|
Unpractical - Too fancy
|
10
|
42
|
21
|
73
|
|
Unpractical Can’t get ingredients (Unqualified general)
|
61
|
83
|
31
|
175
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get sugar
|
-
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get eggs
|
2
|
5
|
3
|
10
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get fats
|
2
|
-
|
1
|
3
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get oatmeal
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
2
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get suet
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get spices
|
-
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
Unpractical - (Unqualified)
|
6
|
18
|
10
|
34
|
|
More time should be allowed for writing down recipes.
|
8
|
|
1.8
|
12
|
|
1.6
|
10
|
|
2.2
|
30
|
|
|
Recipes are insipid, too much the same type always.
|
3
|
16
|
3.6
|
7
|
29
|
3.9
|
4
|
29
|
6.6
|
14
|
74
|
|
Recipes would not turn out well.
|
1
|
6
|
4
|
11
|
|
Unfavourable, e.g. “messy”, all rubbish
|
12
|
16
|
21
|
49
|
|
Know it all already
|
3
|
6
|
1.4
|
12
|
18
|
2.4
|
6
|
18
|
3.7
|
21
|
42
|
|
Own ideas better
|
3
|
6
|
12
|
21
|
|
Inconvenient time
|
1
|
|
0.5
|
4
|
|
0.6
|
1
|
|
0.2
|
6
|
|
|
Favourable (“good”, “Helpful”, “Sensible”)
|
114
|
122
|
27.7
|
151
|
167
|
22.3
|
104
|
105
|
23.8
|
369
|
394
|
|
Favourable and all recipes that have been tried have turned out well.
|
8
|
16
|
1
|
25
|
|
None (include “can’t say”, “haven’t taken enough notice”)
|
167
|
|
38.0
|
290
|
|
38.8
|
160
|
|
36.4
|
617
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
17
|
|
3.9
|
31
|
|
4.2
|
22
|
|
5.0
|
70
|
|
|
Total
|
440
|
|
|
748
|
|
|
441
|
|
|
1,629
|
|
Breakdown by Without and With Children
.
As in the last analysis there are no important differences; in fact in the main group “Unpractical”, the proportions are almost identical, 24.0% without children, 24.1% with children. (Table 3).
TABLE 3.
“What criticisms have you of the recipes given?”
Breakdown by Without and With Children.
|
|
Without children
|
%
|
With children
|
%
|
Total
|
|
Unpractical - Takes too long
|
21
|
229
|
24.0
|
17
|
177
|
24.1
|
38
|
406
|
|
Unpractical - Ingredients too expensive
|
30
|
23
|
53
|
|
Unpractical Too fancy
|
45
|
32
|
77
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get ingredients (Unqualified general)
|
93
|
83
|
176
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get sugar
|
4
|
3
|
7
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get eggs
|
5
|
5
|
10
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get fats
|
3
|
-
|
3
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get oatmeal
|
-
|
2
|
2
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get suet
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get spices
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Unpractical - (Unqualified)
|
25
|
11
|
36
|
|
More time should be allowed for writing down recipes.
|
18
|
|
1.9
|
13
|
|
1.8
|
31
|
|
|
Recipes are insipid, too much the same type always.
|
10
|
52
|
5.4
|
4
|
28
|
3.8
|
14
|
80
|
|
Recipes would not turn out well.
|
9
|
6
|
15
|
|
Unfavourable, e.g. “messy”, all rubbish
|
33
|
18
|
51
|
|
Know it all already
|
12
|
26
|
2.7
|
12
|
19
|
2.6
|
24
|
45
|
|
Own ideas better
|
14
|
7
|
21
|
|
Inconvenient time
|
4
|
|
0.5
|
2
|
|
0.3
|
6
|
|
|
Favourable (“good”, “Helpful”, “sensible”)
|
220
|
232
|
24.3
|
158
|
172
|
23.5
|
378
|
404
|
|
Favourable and all recipes that have been tried have turned out well.
|
12
|
14
|
26
|
|
None (include “can’t say”, “haven’t taken enough notice”)
|
352
|
|
36.8
|
291
|
|
39.8
|
643
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
43
|
|
4.3
|
30
|
|
4.1
|
73
|
|
|
Total
|
956
|
|
|
732
|
|
|
1,688
|
|
Breakdown by Family Size.
It is doubtful if the small differences in Table 4 are significant as the numbers in the samples are very small.
TABLE 4.
“What criticisms have you of the recipes given?”
Breakdown by Family Size.
|
|
Number of Mouths.
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7 & over
|
Total
|
|
Unpractical - - Takes too long
|
|
|
|
9
|
77
|
25.0
|
11
|
103
|
22.5
|
6
|
102
|
23.6
|
7
|
47
|
24.5
|
2
|
39
|
30.0
|
2
|
33
|
25.5
|
37
|
400
|
|
Unpractical - Ingredients too expensive
|
|
|
|
8
|
14
|
16
|
7
|
4
|
4
|
53
|
|
Unpractical - Too fancy
|
|
|
|
12
|
18
|
17
|
10
|
10
|
5
|
72
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get ingredients (general, unqualified)
|
|
|
|
37
|
43
|
49
|
16
|
16
|
16
|
176
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get sugar
|
|
|
|
1
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get eggs
|
|
|
|
5
|
-
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
-
|
9
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get fats
|
|
|
|
-
|
2
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get oatmeal
|
|
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get suet
|
|
|
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get spices
|
|
|
|
1
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
|
Unpractical - (Unqualified)
|
|
|
|
4
|
10
|
9
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
36
|
|
More time should be allowed for writing down recipes.
|
|
|
|
7
|
|
2.3
|
12
|
|
2.6
|
6
|
|
1.4
|
1
|
|
0.5
|
1
|
|
0.8
|
1
|
|
0.8
|
28
|
|
|
Recipes are insipid, too much the same type always.
|
|
|
|
3
|
21
|
6.8
|
4
|
22
|
4.8
|
2
|
18
|
4.2
|
2
|
6
|
3.1
|
-
|
3
|
2.3
|
3
|
6
|
4.6
|
14
|
76
|
|
Recipes would not turn out well.
|
|
|
|
4
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
13
|
|
Unfavourable, “messy” ,“ All rubbish”.
|
|
|
|
14
|
13
|
14
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
49
|
|
Know it all already.
|
|
|
|
4
|
9
|
2.9
|
5
|
9
|
2.0
|
5
|
8
|
1.8
|
5
|
7
|
3.6
|
3
|
7
|
5.4
|
2
|
4
|
3.1
|
24
|
44
|
|
Own ideas better.
|
|
|
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
20
|
|
Inconvenient time.
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
0.3
|
2
|
|
0.4
|
-
|
|
|
1
|
|
0.5
|
-
|
|
|
1
|
|
0.8
|
5
|
|
|
Favourable (“good” , “Helpful”, “sensible”
|
1
|
1
|
20.0
|
73
|
75
|
24.5
|
106
|
116
|
25.3
|
78
|
87
|
20.2
|
49
|
51
|
26.5
|
33
|
33
|
25.5
|
32
|
35
|
27.0
|
372
|
398
|
|
Favourable and all recipes that have been tried have turned out well.
|
-
|
2
|
10
|
9
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
26
|
|
None (include “can’t say”, “haven’t taken enough notice”)
|
4
|
|
80.0
|
105
|
|
34.0
|
176
|
|
38.4
|
188
|
|
43.7
|
72
|
|
37.5
|
40
|
|
30.5
|
45
|
|
34.5
|
630
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
-
|
|
12
|
|
3.9
|
18
|
|
3.9
|
22
|
|
5.1
|
7
|
|
3.6
|
7
|
|
5.4
|
6
|
|
4.6
|
72
|
|
|
Total
|
5
|
|
|
307
|
|
|
458
|
|
|
431
|
|
|
192
|
|
|
130
|
|
|
130
|
|
|
1,653
|
|
Breakdown by Fuel.
In the main group
“Unpractical”, housewives using electricity have a considerably greater proportion of criticisms, 32% compared with 19.7% in the case of housewives using Coal or Coke, 22.8% for housewives using more than one sort of fuel and 24.8% for those using gas. (It seems possible that these proportions bear some relation to the amount of skill required to cook successfully with each type of apparatus. (Table 5).
TABLE 5.
“What criticisms have you of the recipes given?”
Breakdown by Fuel.
|
|
Electricity
|
|
%
|
Gas
|
|
%
|
Oil
|
|
%
|
Slow Combustion
|
|
%
|
Coal or Coke
|
|
%
|
More than 1 sort of fuel
|
|
%
|
Total
|
|
|
Unpractical - Takes too long
|
7
|
58
|
32.0
|
19
|
178
|
24.8
|
-
|
3
|
2.50
|
-
|
2
|
22.2
|
1
|
41
|
19.7
|
10
|
125
|
22.8
|
37
|
407
|
|
Unpractical Ingredients too expensive
|
5
|
26
|
1
|
-
|
7
|
14
|
53
|
|
Unpractical Too fancy
|
10
|
35
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
28
|
76
|
|
Unpractical Can’t get ingredients (general, unqualified)
|
27
|
76
|
1
|
1
|
22
|
52
|
179
|
|
Unpractical Can’t get sugar
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
7
|
|
Unpractical Can’t get eggs
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
11
|
|
Unpractical Can’t get fats
|
1
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
|
Unpractical Can’t get oatmeal
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
2
|
|
Unpractical Can’t get suet
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Unpractical Can’t get spices
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
3
|
|
Unpractical (Unqualified)
|
6
|
13
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
|
|
More time should be allowed for writing down recipes
|
1
|
|
0.5
|
16
|
|
2.2
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
0.5
|
1
|
|
0.5
|
13
|
|
2.3
|
31
|
|
|
Recipes are insipid, too much the same type always.
|
3
|
13
|
7.0
|
4
|
27
|
3.7
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
3
|
10
|
4.8
|
4
|
27
|
4.9
|
14
|
77
|
|
Recipes would not turn out well.
|
1
|
2
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
2
|
7
|
12
|
|
Unfavourable, “messy” “All rubbish”
|
9
|
21
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
5
|
16
|
51
|
|
Know it all already.
|
4
|
6
|
3.3
|
10
|
16
|
2.2
|
-
|
1
|
8.3
|
1
|
1
|
11.1
|
3
|
5
|
2.4
|
6
|
16
|
2.9
|
24
|
45
|
|
Own ideas better.
|
2
|
6
|
1
|
-
|
2
|
10
|
21
|
|
Inconvenient time.
|
1
|
|
0.5
|
4
|
|
0.5
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1
|
|
0.2
|
6
|
|
|
Favourable “good”, “helpful”, “sensible”
|
27
|
29
|
15.8
|
172
|
183
|
25.5
|
3
|
3
|
25.0
|
3
|
3
|
33.3
|
43
|
49
|
23.6
|
129
|
136
|
24.6
|
377
|
403
|
|
Favourable and all recipes that have been tried have turned out well.
|
2
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
7
|
26
|
|
None (include “can’t say”, “haven’t taken enough notice”)
|
62
|
|
34.1
|
267
|
|
37.3
|
4
|
|
3.4
|
3
|
|
33.3
|
93
|
|
44.7
|
211
|
|
38.0
|
640
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
13
|
|
7.0
|
26
|
|
4.0
|
1
|
|
8.3
|
-
|
|
|
9
|
|
4.3
|
24
|
|
4.3
|
73
|
|
|
Total
|
183
|
|
|
717
|
|
|
12
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
208
|
|
|
553
|
|
|
1,682
|
|
Breakdown by Urban and Rural.
There is only a small difference in the “Unpractical” group of criticisms, the Urban proportion being 26.0% as compared with the Rural 22.2% (Table 6).
TABLE 6.
“What criticisms have you of the recipes given?”
Breakdown by Rural and Urban.
|
|
Urban
|
%
|
Rural
|
%
|
Total
|
|
Unpractical - - Takes too long
|
31
|
361
|
26.0
|
8
|
57
|
2.2
|
39
|
418
|
|
Unpractical - Ingredients too expensive
|
47
|
6
|
53
|
|
Unpractical - Too fancy
|
72
|
5
|
77
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get ingredients (unqualified general)
|
159
|
30
|
189
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get sugar
|
5
|
1
|
6
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get eggs
|
5
|
-
|
9
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get fats
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get oatmeal
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get suet
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
|
Unpractical - Can’t get spices
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Unpractical - (Unqualified)
|
32
|
4
|
36
|
|
More time should be allowed for writing down recipes
|
29
|
|
2.0
|
2
|
|
0.7
|
31
|
|
|
Recipes are insipid, too much the same type always
|
11
|
66
|
4.5
|
3
|
13
|
5.2
|
14
|
79
|
|
Recipes would not turn out well.
|
12
|
2
|
14
|
|
Unfavourable, e.g. “messy, “all rubbish.
|
43
|
8
|
51
|
|
Know it all already.
|
21
|
36
|
2.5
|
3
|
9
|
63.4
|
24
|
45
|
|
Own ideas better.
|
15
|
6
|
21
|
|
Inconvenient time.
|
6
|
|
0.4
|
-
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
Favourable (“good”, “Helpful”, “sensible”)
|
319
|
341
|
23.8
|
57
|
61
|
23.6
|
376
|
402
|
|
Favourable and all recipes that have been tried have turned out well.
|
22
|
4
|
26
|
|
None (include “can’t say”, “haven’t taken enough notice”)
|
530
|
|
37.0
|
107
|
|
41.5
|
637
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
64
|
|
4.4
|
9
|
|
3.4
|
73
|
|
|
Total
|
1,433
|
|
|
258
|
|
|
1,691
|
|
