The COVID-19 global pandemic brutally put a halt to most commercial business trades. Many businesses shut down or turned into a hybrid mode working set up to accommodate the uneasy and disturbing situation. One of the most affected sectors during this time was the restaurant industry.
A big percentage of the restaurant industry was unprepared for such a crisis and was not designed for the pandemic’s impact. Because of the need to isolate and practice social distancing, restaurants that don’t have contingency plans to counter such extreme situations were forced to close down, leaving regular patrons and diners with no choice but to adapt to the new normal dining – which is going back to the traditional way of home cooking and eating at home.
Author Eleanor Gaccetta’s recipes and heartfelt stories in her book Generations of Good Food epitomize the significance of home cooking and bonding over warm home-cooked meals. The book shares the author’s recipes that spanned six generations, bringing life to Italian cuisine, including heartfelt anecdotes about the author’s Italian background.
What is cooking and dining like during the pandemic?
While COVID-19 is raging out and about that, resulting in a significant series of lockdowns, rest assured, there are no lockdowns taking place in kitchens. This is why people turned and reached back to their roots of home-style cooking. You can be sure that those hidden, tucked away family cookbooks, probably already dust-covered, were brought out into the open!
Those people who were used to dining out had to get used to cooking at home. Although restaurants closed, grocery stores, being an essential need supplier, remained open and were probably the most active and prolific commerce during this time. Online shopping and delivery services saw a significant boom as people turned to virtual shopping for their food supplies.
Now, it may feel like being cut off from the social world. Still, the pandemic actually brought families closer together as more and more parents or relatives invested their time and talent polishing cooking skills, relearning old cooking methods, and learning new recipes to keep their household full and satiated.
Food nutrition also took the spotlight. Vegetables and fruits went flying off the shelf as soon as displayed. Healthy juice drinks and even vegan foods became bestsellers. Strengthening the immune system against getting infected or fast recovery from the virus was at the top of almost everyone’s goal. Everyone became conscious of the food ingredients. For food preparation, every grocery or item coming from the outside should be washed and cleaned down properly before the cooking begins.
How cooking and dining look like after pandemic
Now that the lockdown is over, do we see a sudden surge in restaurant dining? Will home-cooked meals still be the trend? Or are we seeing a hybrid of dining out and eating in? Probably the hybrid style of cooking and eating.
The pandemic reintroduced an eating and dining habit, which is being cautious. People are more conscious now about the food they buy, the food they eat, and how they cook meals. They became more aware of the importance of having a healthy diet, so they tend to be more selective about where and how they will eat their meals.
Some eating establishments continue to practice social distancing and sanitation methods. While diners, even those pre-COVID regular patrons and those who preferred dining out, have moved to the hybrid way of eating, between restaurants and home cooking.
What are the takeaways from the pandemic?
First, people realized the joys and advantages of cooking their meals. Home-cooked meals that are nutritious boost the immune system and reduce the risks of severe or chronic diseases. Another takeaway from the pandemic is the cost-saving benefit of cooking and eating at home. And, of course, the significant payoff coming from the pandemic is the reconnection and bonding of families over cooking and eating at home, which was the missing essential aspect during pre-COVID times.
Making the most of the COVID aftermath
Will cooking and dining ever be the same as it was pre-COVID? Not likely. COVID-19 has re-taught us all the importance of having a healthy lifestyle, healthy relations, and a hygienic and sanitized environment. It might be challenging to adapt to the situation, but habits are formed over time due to constant practice.
Whether cooking and eating are done in a restaurant or at home, it doesn’t matter, as long as those mealtimes enhance and boost the experience and the overall well-being of both the cook and the people eating.
Photo from Pexels.
The Happy Hammock 