8 weeks into lock down and many things have changed for all of us experiencing this crisis. Work for many has moved to home and others have been furloughed and have more time on their hands, home schooling has turned many of us into teachers and trying in vain to find flour and eggs has become the new norm. Not to mention the newfound favourite topic of discussion, ‘What you are having for dinner?” I have had this question pop up daily with friends and family.
So….’What’s for dinner?'
So, I am curious, how will this newfound, all important, question affect us in the long run?
Many of us are spending more time cooking and this has become something to look forward to in our ‘lock down list of activities’, with more families cooking together and many experimenting more than ever. I am certain this will affect our relationship with food and will create many budding chefs as home cooking becomes a hobby and we delight in our home-made master pieces.
Last week a friend sent me a #Qurantinecooking recipe exchange request. It’s not surprising that more and more recipes are appearing on feeds across the world with hash tags like #coronafood and #kitchenquarantine. There has been a substantial increase in sharing bread recipes and baking on the whole (explains the flour and egg shortages), so surely this will prompt us to make healthier home-made staples like bread and (of course!) cakes as we perfect our talents and our surprise that it’s actually quite easy!
This crisis has certainly made us aware of our consumption habits
With the closure of restaurants and fast food giants such as McDonalds and Burger King, people have had to face the (healthier) task of making their favourites at home. Burger King France jumped on this trend and shared the recipe for a home-made whopper, which amused many as they shared their attempts on YouTube. Many chefs have also shared their recipes and secrets and have taken to social media platforms to promote home cooking and advise their followers to stay at home and stay safe. Companies like Hello Fresh and Gusto have seen a surge in subscribers as they supply all you need recipe boxes to make tasty home-made meals.
Overall, perhaps this is a great outcome for us and our communities? We have seen many people take to planting herbs, fruit and vegetables for own use and enquire about local produce.
This crisis has certainly made us aware of our consumption habits and relationship with the food industry. It has highlighted the concern that cooking is not only about consuming but also has environmental effects. There has been a gradual increase of vegans, vegetarians and a distrust of fast food before this pandemic and as we are home cooking and learning about meal preparation, perhaps this will fast track people to a healthier relationship with food and food industries? As foreign imports have slowed, surely, we can look to locally sourced and seasonal foods and ensure a more positive outlook for our environment and future?
Perhaps it’s time to take a stand on the vast amount of supermarket goods that tempt us to take the easy road. Perhaps it’s time to be more responsible for what’s on our plates.
Just saying.