With many of us having worked from home for the past few months, it’s safe to say that more of us have been in the kitchen than ever before. We’ve found the time to fall in love with cooking again, what with our lives being a little less busy than before. But how have our relationships with cooking changed and what are some of the top food trends to have come out of such a strange year?
Have we lost the skill of cooking?
According to research done by fitted furniture company Hammonds, one in 50 Brits don’t know how to cook a single meal. They also found that a quarter of those surveyed are incapable of making a simple beans on toast meal, and that four in ten can’t cook an omelette. These shocking revelations make us wonder whether people have managed to teach themselves the basics during lockdown or not.
Although some may have lost the skill of cooking, it seems that we still love to eat. From their research, Hammonds found that the humble Sunday Roast is still the UK’s favourite meal, with one in five naming it their overall favourite dish. However, many rely on others to put in the hard work, as 40% don’t know how to prepare a Sunday Roast themselves.
What are some of the top food trends to look out for?
Whether you’ve cooked and baked your way through lockdown or not, there’s still time to brush up on your skills ready for the new year. No matter if you’ve picked up a recipe book during your time at home, baked a banana bread or two or haven’t done much, now is as good of a time as any to get yourself in the kitchen and learn something new.
With Brexit on the horizon, it’s easy to see why British food is set to be a staple in many people’s fridges next year. According to recent research by Waitrose, nearly three quarters of people wanted to see more UK food businesses express support for local British producers.
Some of the trends that Waitrose found might surprise you, and some even stem from social media platforms. The tornado omelette for example, was a huge deal on TikTok throughout lockdown. Another popular food trend was slow-cooked meat, and with many of us having more time on our hands, it’s easy to see why!
With lockdowns and tiers coming in and out regularly, winter BBQs also became extremely popular. As many are only able to meet with their friends outside, the demand for Al fresco eating, as well as things like fire pits and pizza ovens has only increased.
The pandemic has really shaken up our relationship with food. Whether you now think of yourself as the new Gordon Ramsey or are still learning a thing or two, there really is no better time than to get behind the stove and give new recipes a try.