Table 1.

The 10-item survey with number of participant respondents noted per question and example of verbal prompt used for clarification during data collection

Item	Question (Number of Respondents)	Example Verbal Prompt
1	How much do you eat a day, on average? (20)	“Like do you usually eat meals like breakfast? Lunch? Dinner?” “Do you have snacks between meals?”
2	Where do you get your meals or snacks? (20)	Do you get food yourself or from others? Who gives you food?
3	What percent of your meals or snacks do you think you pick out yourself? (20)	“Do you pick what you’re eating all of the time? None of the time? Somewhere in between?”
4	Do you eat ____? (20) If yes, how often? (see below) a. Vegetables (15) b. Fruit (12) c. Protein [e.g. meat, eggs, beans] (14) d. Dairy (14) e. Simple carbohydrates [e.g. breads and crackers] (13) f. Sweets (14)	List examples of each food group “Every day? Never? Somewhere in between?”
5	What are the most important things you think about when picking food to eat? (17)	“How did you pick the last meal you ate?”
6	Is there anything you want to change about what you eat if it is possible? (15)	“If you could eat whatever you want, how would it be different from what you’re eating now?”
7	What are your favorite foods or snacks to eat? (16)	“What do you like to eat the most?”
8	Has a doctor ever told you to eat more or less of certain kinds of foods? (17) a. What is the diet they recommend? (17) b Do you feel like you’re able to do this or do you feel like you’re not able to? (8) - What gets in the way? (8)	“Like some people might be told to not eat things that could hurt a medical condition they have” What makes it hard to follow the diet?
9	Do you have access to: a A can opener (18) b Anything to heat up food (19) c Kitchen facilities and cooking tools (18)	“Do you have __?” “Is there a place that has __ that you can use?” “Or do you know anyone with __ that you’re able to borrow when you need it” Regarding heating food – “things like microwaves, stoves” Regarding kitchen facilities – “a kitchen where you could make food, like at your own place, a friend’s place, at a shelter”
10	What gets in the way when you’re trying to get the food that you need and want? (17) a Do your teeth or gums ever hurt with certain foods? (19) - Which foods? (11)	What makes it hard to get the food you want? Does your mouth hurt if you eat certain things?