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Objective: This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators of the provision of dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDA) by parents of preschool-age children, a previously unexplored area of research.Design: Five focus groups of parents were conducted and audio-recorded. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.Setting: University of Guelph, in Guelph, ON, Canada in 2019.Participants: Thirty-two (n 19 mothers, 13 fathers) parents of preschool-age children. Most (59 %) were university or college educated.Results: Facilitators common to both dairy and PBDA provision included perceived nutritional benefits, such as dairy's Ca, protein and fat content, and PBDA's protein content, and the perception that PBDA adds variety to the diet. Facilitators unique to dairy v. PBDA provision included the taste of, familiarity with, and greater variety and accessibility of dairy products, specifically child-friendly products. A facilitator unique to PBDA v. dairy provision was ethical concerns regarding dairy farming practices. Barriers common to both dairy and PBDA provision included perceived cost, concerns regarding the environmental impact of production, and high sugar content. Barriers specific to dairy included use of antibiotics and hormones in dairy production. A barrier specific to PBDA was the use of pesticides.Conclusion: Behaviour change messages targeting parents of preschoolers can emphasise the nutrition non-equivalence of dairy and some PBDA and can educate parents on sources of affordable, unsweetened dairy and PBDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic changed consumers' purchasing and cooking behaviours, which may have resulted in changes in food waste. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on household food waste, as well as on purchasing, cooking, and food waste-related perceptions and behaviours among 19 households in Guelph, ON, Canada. Four-week food waste audits and online surveys were conducted in February–March 2020 (pre-COVID-19) and in July–August 2020 (post-COVID-19). Qualitative interviews were also conducted post-COVID-19 to explore participants' perceptions of household food changes due to COVID-19. Food waste results were analyzed using paired t -test, while survey results pre- and post-COVID-19 were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. While per capita food waste did not significantly change (meanpre = 1.076 kg per week, meanpost = 1.080 kg per week), total per capita unavoidable food waste (meanpre = 0.388 kg per week, meanpost = 0.614 kg per week) and pre capita unavoidable fruit and vegetable (meanpre = 0.289 kg per week, meanpost = 0.427 kg per week) waste significantly increased (p < 0.01) at post-COVID-19. Total per capita avoidable other waste decreased (meanpre = 0.385 kg per week, meanpost = 0.179 kg per week, p < 0.05). The increase in unavoidable food waste may relate to households cooking more often at home, as reported in interviews, or shopping less frequently and buying more per trip, as identified in the surveys. The decrease in avoidable food waste could be related to the increase in serving of leftovers (p < 0.01), as identified in the surveys, or an increase in meal planning and inventory management, as reported in interviews. Future studies should investigate whether food waste-related changes in behaviour remain after the pandemic as well as any factors associated with maintaining of these behaviours. Interventions may be an opportunity to help households maintain these changes. • The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in consumers' purchasing and cooking behaviours. • Our detailed waste audits pre and post-COVID-19 offer an objective measure of household food waste changes. • Only per capita avoidable food waste decreased and per capita unavoidable food waste increased from pre to post-COVID-19. • COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in household food waste among families in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]