UK Families are turning their backs on traditional Sunday roasts while some are no longer even using the oven, as crippling energy costs bite into household budgets.
The annual Good Food Nation survey from BBC Good Food has revealed the extent of the changes people are making to their shopping, cooking and eating habits.
One in four home cooks said they were less likely to prepare a roast dinner. Nearly 20 percent said they no longer turn on their oven, while 23 percent said they use their oven and hob less.
Christine Hayes, Editor in Chief of BBC Good Food, said: “These findings reveal the extent to which rising food prices and energy costs have impacted on the way the nation eats in a relatively short space of time. Traditional cooking methods, the oven and the hob, are being switched off in favour of appliances that use less energy, and shopping baskets and mealtimes at home are looking very different.”
The survey of more than 3,000 adults and children presented overwhelming evidence of strict budgeting. Planning meals in advance (28 percent) and batch cooking (23 percent) were two of the most popular ways people felt they could control costs, as well as 20 percent of people saying they specifically looked for money off stickers or yellow stickers on food when shopping. The great migration to own label items has also continued with 30 percent now consciously ditching regular brands.
Takeaways and eating out has also taken a big hit with a third of people saying they have stopped buying, or are buying fewer takeaways and 31 percent admitted they are eating out less.
Over half the respondents (52 percent) said they were keen to discover new budget-friendly recipes so they can continue to eat interesting meals. And this tightening of the budget has had a small but positive impact in the way we consume with over three in five (64 percent) agreeing that they are cutting back on food waste in order to save money.
The research, commissioned by Immediate Media, was conducted by Censuswide between 8-10 August 2022. A total of 3,012 respondents participated. 2,005 were general consumers 16+ and 1,007 were children aged 5-16.
For more 2022 Good Food Nation results, go to https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/article/bbc-good-food-nation-survey-results-2022
