Towards Sustainable Food Consumption: A Household-Level Analysis of Home Cooking Behaviours in Urban Vietnam

Promoting sustainable consumer behaviours is vital to reducing the environmental impacts of food systems. While home cooking is encouraged, few studies provide a comprehensive view of sustainability across all its stages. This study applies an integrative framework—encompassing food purchasing, preparation, storage, cooking, eating, and disposal—to assess household food practices in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We developed a composite index and identified four household profiles through cluster analysis: (1) Food Management Leaders, (2) Sustainable Diet Households, (3) Planning and Leftover Strugglers, and (4) Least Sustainable Households. Multinomial logit regression revealed that apartment-dwelling households—often young couples—and individuals with higher education levels were less likely to engage in sustainable cooking behaviours. By offering a multidimensional assessment of household food practices in a rapidly urbanising context, this study contributes to the understanding of sustainable development and provides insights for policymakers seeking to promote more responsible food consumption patterns.