Types and Characteristics of Fish and Seafood Provisioning Scripts Used by Rural Midlife Adults

Abstract Objective To examine rural New York State consumers' cognitive scripts for fish and seafood provisioning. Design A cross-sectional design with in-depth, semistructured interviews. Setting Three rural New York State counties. Participants Adults (n = 31) with diverse fish-related experiences were purposefully recruited. Phenomenon of Interest Scripts describing fish and seafood acquisition, preparation, and eating out. Analysis Interview transcripts were coded for emergent themes using Atlas.ti. Diagrams of scripts for each participant were constructed. Results Five types of acquisition scripts included quality-oriented, price-oriented, routine, special occasion, and fresh catch. Frequently used preparation scripts included everyday cooking, fast meal, entertaining, and grilling. Scripts for eating out included fish as first choice, Friday outing, convenient meals, special event, and travel meals. Personal values and resources influenced script development. Individuals drew on a repertoire of scripts based on their goals and resources at that time and in that place. Script characteristics of scope, flexibility, and complexity varied widely. Conclusions and Implications Scripts incorporated goals, values, and resources into routine food behaviors. Understanding the characteristics of scripts provided insights about fish provisioning and opportunities to reduce the gap between current intake and dietary guidelines in this rural setting.