Objective To initially understand the current status of awareness and consumption behavior of prepared dishes among purchasers, and to provide data support for the food safety risk assessment of prepared dishes. Methods A questionnare survey was conducted on 600 prepared dishes consumers aged 18 and above from a city of Hebei provence in 2024 using the method of convenience sampling Data was collected through a tablet system and face-to-face surveys by interviewers. Thetest, Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test, and Kruskal-Wallis H Test were used to compare differences in attitudes, consumption ratios and consumption volumes of prepared dishes among consumers. Results Among pre-prepared food purchasers in this area, the 30-39 age group accounts for the highest proportion (32.83%), followed by the 40-49 age group (26.83%); purchasers with a college degree or above make up the largest share (32.50%). A total of 99.67% of prepared dishes consumers had heard of prepared dishes, and most of them obtained relevant information through new media (66.55%). Most purchasers hold a neutral (56.67%) or supportive (31.17%) attitude towards prepared dishes. The main reasons why some purchasers do not support prepared dishes were that they consider the dishes not fresh (82.22%), worry about food safety issues (80.00%), and think the dishes are not nutritious and healthy enough (68.89%). There was a statistically significant difference in attitudes towards prepared dishes based on gender (=8.154，P=0.043). Convenience are the primary reasons for purchasing pre-prepared food (accounting for 79.33%), while food safety and freshness are the key factors restricting consumer trust.. The consumption proportion of meat prepared dishes was the highest (68.67%), followed by vegetable prepared dishes (16.00%) and aquatic prepared dishes (11.33%). There were statistically significant differences in the consumption proportions of meat-based and aquatic product-based prepared dishes among different age groups (meat: P=0.037; aquatic products: P=0.031). However, no significant differences were observed in the average monthly consumption of prepared dishes by gender, age group, or educational level (all P > 0.05). There was no difference in the consumption frequency and consumption among different types of prepared dishes. Individuals with a higher level of education prefer to purchase aquatic prepared dishes. Conclusion Prepared dish purchasers in the study area demonstrate high awareness but a cautious attitude towards these products, with their consumption behavior primarily driven by convenience. Meat-based prepared dishes exhibit the highest consumption proportion, which is influenced by the age factor. It is recommended that when conducting food safety risk assessments in this area, consumption proportion should be prioritized as a key metric, with particular attention paid to consumption differences across various age groups.