Despite the growing media obsession with food, overall food preparation time in the kitchen is declining. In 2017, Epicurious author, David Tamarkin, stated “home cooking is dying.” and he kind of had a point.
Sure, we love designer kitchens with aesthetic countertops and high tech coffee machines, but the use of these spaces has drastically changed. In recent years, the concept of a “proper” meal consisted of gathering to eat a home – and most likely housewife-cooked dinner. However, the ideal of a “domestic meal” is up for debate in the era of the 2000s. A 2013 Nutrition Journal study found that in 1965, 88-95% of meals were prepared at home compared to only 65-72% in 2017. Depending on an individual’s concept of a “meal” greatly affects whether they perceive cooking as a necessity.
Changing the Food Production Landscape
Over time restaurants, fast food and pre-made meals have pushed home cooking off of the menu. This shift has affected all players within the food production chain. Historically, each entity (i.e. producer, process, whole seller, restaurant, grocer and consumer) operated independently. Nowadays, the growing range of manufacturers and technological advances have turned the process into a hodge-podge of relationships and interactions.
Between 1980 and 2000, there has been a steady and clear decline in the purchase of ingredients while the inverse has been true for the purchase of pre-prepared foods.
Furthermore, the 21st century has seen the price of raw ingredients fall which at first would lead you to believe more people would want to cook. However, in contrast, the total value of food has increased through the production of ready meals, takeaways and meal kits. These “quick-fixes” are more expensive than the ingredients that go into them but are in high demand. In essence, people would rather spend their hard-earned dough on quick meals than put in the elbow work and save a pretty penny.
Shifting Priorities
So, wouldn’t it be more cost-effective to cook from home? The short answer is yes. The long answer is no. In our “go-go-go” society we are the busiest we have ever been. Therefore, time has become the ultimate currency in which we trade for convenience and ease.
With busy families operating a tight schedule, the era of the “stay-at-home-mom” has ended. A 2000 US study found that there was an average reduction of 12.5 hours/week in female housework between 1965 and 1995 with a whopping 8.5 hours of those being used for cooking meals and clean up.
Preparing a home-cooked meal is perceived as too time-consuming for the average jampacked day. When time is of the essence, preparing a meal and sitting down for dinner is simply not an option for many.
As consumers become more time-poor, prepared meals offer a convenient solution. Furthermore, food delivery services have grown in line with consumer’s priorities for on-demand meals.
Over half of the respondents to a 2015 Nielson Innovation Study reported “convenience” and “making life easier” were top priorities when making food product decisions. Clearly, the home-cooked ideal is being traded in for a takeaway delivered to your door on the back of a moped.
So what’s the big problem?
As we close the oven door in exchange for opening our front door, our overall spend on food has also increased. Even ready meals sold at the grocery store are pricier than the sum of their parts, often packing on calories and additives.
Eating in the home is also not mutually exclusive with eating a home-cooked meal. Since 2001, under 60% of meals eaten at home are actually being cooked at home. Ultimately “healthier” premade meals don’t necessarily translate to being the healthiest for our waste line or our wallets.
Lastly, it is well known that the consumption ready-to-eat foods can lead to adverse health outcomes such as obesity, negative cognitive development and other lifestyle problems.
Can we regain our culinary confidence?
To combat the rise in obesity and lifestyle diseases, programmes like “Choosing a better diet,” “Food Matters”, “Public Health Responsibility Deal” and “Change for Life” have been introduced in the UK. One of the most famous initiatives was Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food aiming to educate individuals from a lower socio-economic background on cooking skills and simple nutritional concepts.
In 2016, University of Leeds researchers assessed the long term effectiveness of the celebrity chef’s programme. Six months after the course, participants were surveyed regarding their lifestyle and food choices. Overall, they self-reported that fruit and vegetable consumption had increased, snack consumption had decreased and overall cooking confidence had grown. Ultimately, participation in these programmes or similar cooking classes leads to healthier habits in the long term.
Ultimately, despite the cards being stacked in favour of UberEats, there is still hope to get us back in the kitchen.
Resources
Do you need help getting started in the kitchen? Here are some favourite articles to get you excited to put on your apron!
5 Ways to Become More Confident in the Kitchen: Ariel Knutson presents easy ways to gain cooking confidence. This website also has tons of resources including recipes and guides!
How to Feel More Confident Cooking at Home: This Psychology Today article takes a more mindfulness approach to cooking. Linda Wassmer Andrews looks into ways to be present in the kitchen to ultimately boost confidence.
How to Improve your Kitchen Confidence: Dietitian Alexandra Caspero starts out small by outlining easy ways to boost confidence.
