Consumption of individual vegetables

Table 5 shows the consumption of the individual vegetables under three heading The first column shows the proportion of households using vegetable during the year. Figures under this heading are given in order to avoid any misinterpretation of the second column “Proportion of households obtaining each vegetable at least once a week during the survey”. The investigation was carried out during 10 weeks between October and December; naturally certain vegetables were scarce, others plentiful. Even during the weeks of the investigation the supply changed. For example, Table 10, Appendix 5 shows that a considerable amount of beans was bought during the first two weeks of the inquiry, then they more or less disappeared from the market. Tomatoes were fairly plentiful during the first 6 weeks and then their consumption decreased. Dried peas were bought to a much greater extent during the last week of the survey than during the first.

The second column gives the proportion of housewives serving vegetables during the week of the survey, but does not indicate the frequency with which vegetables were served the year round.

The third column shows the average amount of each vegetable bought per. head during the week studied. These data are given for Neath and Llanelly, and for Batley and Morley separately. The last three columns in the table deal with the average amount bought, the average amount obtained free, and the average expenditure for each vegetable for all four towns.

The results of the first column in Table 5 were obtained by asking the housewife with the help of a checklist (Question 3 in the questionnaire - Appendix 1 ) “Do you ever serve the following vegetables? “ Unfortunately the list did not contain spinach, swedes, dried peas, and beans.

In Neath and Llanelly all vegetables are served by practically all housewives, with a few exceptions. Exceptions are marrows, which are served by ⅓ of

the housewives, and watercress, which a quarter never put on their tables. In Morley and Batley even fewer housewives serve marrow, i. e. 21% , 59% serve watercress. Parsnips are also unpopular (26% serve them), and fresh beans and leeks are only put on the table in about half the households.

During the investigation week the vegetables most often served in Neath and Llanelly were cabbage, carrots, and onions, respectively. The average number of servings of each of these vegetables varies proportionately with the average amount consumed, that is to say, that an increased consumption of a certain vegetable is due to the fact that it is served more frequently, not that a larger portion is consumed each time the vegetable is served. In Morley and Batley a smaller proportion of, housewives serve each vegetable than in the two Welsh towns, Here swedes and parsnips are unpopular, and though more turnips are served, the sum total of these three root vegetables is only a third ( 5 oz. per head per week) of that consumed in the two Welsh towns (12. 3 oz. ) The amount of dried peas eaten in the two Yorkshire towns, is twice that eaten in the two Welsh towns.

It was shown that at the time of the investigation a considerable amount of the vegetables eaten was homegrown. More beans and beetroot are grown than bought, and an equal amount of marrows and leeks are bought and homegrown. Cabbage and tomatoes also rate high as home produce.