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How has the pandemic changed your eating patterns both at home and when/if you eat out?

25 Comments

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25 Comments
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Eat out? Haven’t done that for eighteen months

6 ( +9 / -3 )

I've taken to hoarding nuts and berries in my facemask,like a nosebag.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Should clarify, we eat out by ordering takeout from family owned restaurants who would go under if customers didn’t order takeout.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Less money spent in coffee shops, more time talking with family, more cooking at home, more particular about where we eat out (no more chains, only local family-owned places.)

4 ( +6 / -2 )

We basically eat at home: home-grown, home-cooked, very similar to GBR48, and for many of the same reasons. However, it’s nice not to have to cook, and more to the point clean up, occasionally , and there are a couple of family-run restaurants that we like to visit for birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

But the last time we went to our favourite Italian place for dinner, we were literally the only customers in the restaurant. It was not a joyful experience, for all the efforts of the staff.

I think we will continue to eat at home.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Aside from not being able to get some stuff due to Brexit induced shortages, not at all. I had a healthy diet before the pandemic and I still do.

I don't eat out. Partly because I'm vegan, partly because I see no point in spending extra for less healthy food of unknown quality than I can easily prepare myself. I work at home, so preparing food gives me a break from staring at a screen, and I know what I'm eating.

It's nice to supplement your diet with home grown food. The easiest to grow are runner beans, blight-resistant tomatoes, courgettes, herbs (home grown basil is great), sweetcorn (in a block, not a row), sweet peppers, strawberries, 'Bolivian Giant' achocha, radishes & salad leaves, apples, pears and plums. If you are really busy, plant some Taunton Deane Kale (aka 'Cottager's Kale). Google it - it's basically a small cabbage tree, allowing you to supplement your meals with home-grown green leaves for months each year, with no gardening skill or hard work.

You can get a real buzz from eating something you grew, whilst freshly picked food has the best flavour and retains the most vitamins, especially if you steam it rather than boiling it.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

No eating out, some take-out, but mostly cooking at home and eating FAR better than ever.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I eat at home a lot more, although lately I've eaten at some fast food joints, which my stomach is not liking. I also eat better, for the most part. That said, I DO want to go out more often when I can, and when it's safe.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

We've mostly given up on trying to eat outside and just prefer to have them delivered, you can eat more peacefully and at the comfort of your own castle. Aside from that, we've also tried to do it yourself a lot of recipes to lessen the need for deliveries, we've been successful in some dishes

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I've spent more money in coffee shops actually for teleworking, less money eating out at restaurants. I've also reduced the amount of food I eat because I do less moving around.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I've started stockpiling food just in case but I also cook more now. However, when laziness strikes, it's UberEats to the rescue!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Always did mostly cook from scratch. Most of our eating out was to do with friends or organisations we are part of or the occasional meal out when we couldn’t be bothered to cook. All of which came to an abrupt halt on 23/3/20! Only just beginning to get back to some of it, preferably out doors. Did have some supply problems in the early days (nothing to do with Brexit, in fact that has had no impact at all) but that soon remedied its self. All in all nothing much has changed bar a tendency to have a G&T after walking the dog!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

On reflection, my earlier post sounds a bit harsh. I was thinking of people who complain that healthy food is expensive and then eat junk food from chains, whose meals all cost more than my home cooked ones do. Cooking your own food is a cheaper and healthier option.

There are lots of honest folk running eateries who have been hammered by the pandemic restrictions, and there is no harm in eating out as a treat or to support such businesses. When I'm on holiday, if I can find a vegan eaterie, I do make an effort to check it out. I hope the Vegan Store in Nishiasakusa is still there if we are ever allowed back to Japan.

And I'll add petit pois to the list of easy-to-grow veg. Home grown peas are gorgeously sweet, but you have to grow a lot of plants to make it worthwhile. Petit pois, however, are more productive. You really don't need a lot of space to grow some vegetables. Digging and weeding count as exercise and are great for relieving stress. It also helps kids to understand where their food comes from and to better value it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

we stopped eating out. but that's partially due to the fact that we bought a house with a garden this year and spend our time BBQing when the weather's not too hot.. Its more fun and cheaper to BBQ than to eat out.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I find it annoying that you can’t have a beer with lunch. I bring my own now in a flask, and put medicine out on the table so it looks like I am taking meds.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Once we go out for full day and order lunch (6000 yen) and dinner (6000 yen), no way i want to spend 12000 yen to the meals that I can have for few days at home.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

We are cooking more, eating less meat, and eating many more lentils.

Haven't been inside a restaurant since before the virus. We do take-away a few times a month, which is about 50% less than before.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

We haven't changed what we eat much at all.

But thanks to the idiotic rules that force restaurants to close early and destroy their livelihoods, we don't eat out much at night because there's such a rush to eat up and get out the door before closing time.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@Gooch: Yeah agreed. Getting the order in and then a half-hour later leaves you with about an hour for food prepared correctly to come over an hour and the remainder you have to have boxed to take out which really is tough to fathom with MonjyaYaki.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Not one bit. I have been very reluctant to eat in Japanese restaurants.

The only sinks to wash hands are shared by customers in the restrooms. Cold water tap only and no soap all too often and a roll towel or no towel. In office buildings there are the air blowers. Now there is hand sanitizer but I have seen employees walk out of the toilet and just wipe their hands on their already filthy apron.

Sticky tables wiped off by already dirty towels.

Just not worth the risk beofre Corona or especially now.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I boycott restaurants that require masks but otherwise eat out as much as I did previously.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

I had started a longevity diet about four months before the pandemic. During that time, I learned how to boost the effectiveness of my immune system / developing and diversifying my gut biome. Then the pandemic started and essentially, my longevity diet went into overdrive - sauerkraut, raw broccoli, mushrooms and tons of olive oil everyday.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

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