Abstract: Though millets are three to five times nutritionally superior to the widely promoted rice and wheat in terms of proteins, minerals and vitamins and antioxidants, the consumption of rice and wheat rates higher than millets. The present study was aimed to know the attitude, preference, and consumption pattern of millets among the female young adults. The study participants were the female young adults between 20 to 28 years of age who pursued their post-graduation and research in various disciplines. Data regarding the preference, attitude, reasons for their preference, frequency, and form of millet consumption among female young adults were collected using the Google questionnaire through WhatsApp and around 100 students submitted the forms completely. Incomplete forms were excluded from the study. It was found that 89% of the respondents consumed millets, majority of the respondents (58%) consumed millets as it is healthier and 26 % loved the taste, 90% of them recorded millets as nutritious, three percent considered it as expensive and six percent of them looked millets as rural food. Only four percent of the respondents were recorded for daily consumption of millets and 23% consumed millets weekly 3/4 times. The millet-based food products consumed among the respondents were kichadi (16%), roti (25%), snacks (20%), bread (6%), traditional sweets (7%), kali/porridge (7%), and dosa/adai (8%). Majority of the respondents (91±2.3) knew about millet cookies, little millet vermicelli (88±4.4), multi millet noodles/pasta (82±5), millet biscuits (92±2.1), multi-millet idli/dosa/adai mix (85±3.4). It was revealed that the respondents were aware about the nutritional benefits of millet consumption, and they were not actually consuming millets regularly. To increase the consumption of millets, ease of availability should be made explicitly among the children and young adults. Further, like the major cereals like rice and wheat, millets could be supplied through the Public Distribution System.

Keywords: Millets, rice, wheat, nutritional benefits, consumption pattern

| DOI: 10.17148/IARJSET.2022.9127