We consider returns to scale in food preparation as a potential resolutionof a puzzle raised by Deaton and Paxson (Journal of Political Economy,106(5),897–930, 1998). We clarify the conditions under which returns to scale in foodpreparation can resolve the puzzle. The key requirement is that foods are hetero-geneous in time costs. We then show that detailed food expenditure and time use dataare consistent with larger households shifting to more time intensive foods.