34 BULLETIN 1443, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
nized, and the French group, which was third in the average number 
of steaks recognized, was fifth in the number of roasts recognized. 
The remaining foreign groups followed essentially the same order in 
recognition of roasts as they presented in the knowledge of steaks. 
SUMMARY OF RESULTS 
The principal results of the study of meat consumer preferences 
and habits are summarized under four groupings: (1) Meat consump- 
tion, (2) meat purchasing, (3) meat advertising, and (4) consumer 
knowledge of meat quality and cuts. In this summary are presented 
only the more outstanding results of the analysis of replies from 4,466 
housewives representing meat-eating households whose members num- 
bered 20,744 persons in 16 representative cities of the United States. 
MEAT CONSUMPTION 
1. In the American white group, over 5 per cent of the total num- 
ber of persons did not eat meat. Almost 2 per cent of the men and 
over 3 per cent of the women did not eat meat. There was noted a 
tendency for more men and fewer women to eat meat as the standard 
of living of the households became higher. In the colored and for- 
eign groups the relative numbers of persons not eating meat were less 
than in the American white group. 
2. Health and diet reasons were stated by almost three-fourths of 
the adults of the American white group who said that they did not 
eat meat. 
3. Four-fifths or over of the housewives believed that their families 
were eating a proper amount of meat. 
4. Beef was the preferred meat in two-thirds of the households of 
the American white group. Pork, lamb, and. veal were preferred in 
the order named. Preference for pork decreased and preference for 
lamb increased as the standard of living increased. 
5. Sixty-two per cent of the housewives of the American white 
group indicated that steaks and chops were bought because of their 
palatability, 40 per cent stated this as the reason for buying roasts, 
and 29.4 per cent assigned this reason for using boiling meat. Con- 
venience of preparation was of more importance in the use of steaks 
and chops than in the use of roasts and boiling meat. Economy was 
given greater weight by the housewives as a reason for using roasts 
and boiling meat than for using steaks and chops. 
6. Meat was served in the households of the American white 
group an average of 2.1 times per week for each of the meals break- 
fast and lunch and 5.6 times per week at dinner. Meat was served 
most frequently in the homes of the poor and middle class colored 
families, and least frequently in the homes of Italian and Jewish 
families. 
7. Palatability was emphasized by about 50 per cent of the house- 
wives, with the exception of a few foreign groups, as the reason for 
serving meat in preference to other foods. 
8. Fish was the food named by the largest number of women of 
the American white group as the first choice of a food to take 
the place of meat when meat was not served. Vegetables were 
