March 12, 2009 – Canadians are getting back on their feet, according to the numbers compiled in the 2008 Eating Patterns in Canada (EPIC) report. This annual survey, conducted by marketing research firm NPD Group for food manufacturers, indicates that 88% of Canadians intend to reduce their restaurant visits this year and cook at home instead.
That’s not all. Of meals prepared at home, the proportion of those requiring less than 15 minutes of preparation has fallen by 3% since 2004. During the same period, the proportion of meals requiring 16 to 30 minutes of preparation has fallen from 3% at 36%.
The emergence of “gastrosexuals”
More than just a consequence of the economic crisis which is forcing consumers to rethink their spending, Jordan LeBel, professor of marketing at Concordia University, sees this trend as an echo of the popularity of cooking shows. “We have also seen the emergence of gastrosexuals in recent years: these men who no longer see cooking as a chore, but as a pleasure and a means of seducing the fairer sex,” says Jordan LeBel, who is also a specialist in cooking. food.
The food industry has also been more successful in adapting to the contemporary rhythm of life, believes Diane Chagnon, nutritionist at the University of Sherbrooke: “Cookbooks emphasize simplicity, much less on elaborate meals to wow friends. “
The popular slow cooker
The success of the slow cooker is also noteworthy. Grocery stores now have a frozen food section that you can simply place in your appliance at home before you go to work. More than 1.5 million Canadians eat a slow cooker meal every week, according to the NPD Group study.
According to Diane Chagnon, the trend towards home cooking is most encouraging. Home-cooked meals are generally healthier and more varied than those you buy on the go. They are also conducive to better family cohesion. “All the efforts made to prevent everyone from heating their frozen food in the microwave and eating it in front of the TV is a step in the right direction. “
We are still far from the roast cooked with love and eaten religiously as a family every Sunday, but we are nevertheless witnessing a certain renewed interest and control over what ends up on our plates, believes Marion Chan, director of the food division. at NPD Group. We don’t necessarily use more ingredients than in the past. But we participate in a few steps, by sautéing vegetables for example, or by preparing a vinaigrette, she emphasizes.
Respond to this news in our Blog: Home cooking feels good.
Dominique Forget – PasseportSanté.net
According to Canadian grocer
