'Cooking fatigue' affecting most Americans during pandemic, study claims

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With all the increased time at home, it’s no surprise 55% said cooking during COVID-19 has left them feeling fatigued.

A new study of 2,000 Americans found, due to restrictions when dining out, that people are eating at home more than ever and are cooking an average of nine meals a week. But Americans may be looking for more variety in what they cook and eat, as results revealed the average respondent has cooked the same meal 28 times since the start of COVID-19.

According to the findings, the average respondent has cooked the same meal 28 times since the pandemic began. (iStock)

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The survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Sun Basket, asked respondents about their relationship with cooking and healthy eating as it pertains to the ongoing pandemic. While many respondents enjoy cooking, they sometimes wish it was less time-consuming. Seven in 10 (69%) wish they could make a healthy dinner more quickly.

Nearly half of respondents, or 46%, would prefer to cook a meal with less prep work, and 43% would like to spend less time planning their meals out. With so much else on their mind, approximately 40% find planning their meals every night to sometimes be a tricky task.

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In a dream world, it would only take the average person 12 minutes to make a delicious, healthy meal — and many people are looking for dinner alternatives on the nights where they don’t have time to cook. Because of the COVID-19 restrictions, nearly two-thirds of respondents are limiting their trips to the grocery store. Of those making fewer trips to the grocery store, 69% of Americans can occasionally feel limited when they cook due to lack of ingredients at home.

Around 60% think they’re eating less healthy than they used to because they’re lacking in fresh ingredients. And due to the lack of fresh ingredients, and a bit of cooking fatigue, one in two (53%) are eating more takeout and delivery to get a little break from making dinner every night, while 55% confess they’re eating more unhealthily because of the increased takeout meals in their diets.

In a dream world, it would only take the average person 12 minutes to make a delicious, healthy meal. (SWNS)

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Even though they can’t get to the grocery store as often as they used to, respondents want control over their cooking and don’t want to rely on deliveries (46%). But most (around 60%) have considered ordering pre-made meals, and just under half (around 40%) have ordered meal kits before.

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Additionally, just over half have considered pre-made, heat-and-eat meals. When asked about the most enticing aspects of meal kits, the top three preferences were convenience (47%), precisely measured ingredients (39%) and variety of curated recipes available (39%).

This story was originally published by SWNS.