Your day-to-day life in lockdown

May 7, 2020

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This week, you told us more about your everyday lives and wellbeing during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Many of you have developed new habits during this time and wish to continue them post-quarantine. These include daily exercise, meal planning and much more cooking from scratch — all good things! We were also moved to see how many of you are planning on continuing to spend more time as a family after restrictions ease; maybe a positive effect of this situation has been in helping all of us to realise what’s really important.

Spend more time with the kids creating this homemade playdough!

As for the habits you’re eager to shed post-lockdown, top of the list were constant snacking, drinking too much and spending too many hours in front of the telly, while many of you also feel as though you’re staying up too late at night and lying in bed too long in the mornings. (Don’t go too hard on yourselves, folks; this situation is tough on all of us.)

Has the internet ever been more relevant? A whopping 32% of you have been relying on online games to keep you connected with friends and family, with 8% going as far as keeping each other company online while cooking, and 6% while eating. We’re also well impressed with the 15% who have dedicated time to learn new skills online.

How to make your own sourdough starter — Have you joined Club Sourdough yet? Here’s how to make your own starter.

Mired in serious restaurant withdrawal ourselves, we weren’t surprised to read that 40% of you feel the loss of going out for food and drinks even more than you expected to, although a similar number (41%) only miss it a little. The things you’re most looking forward to down the line include proper pints, sushi, steak dinners, good Italian pizza, quality coffee, and simply enjoying a meal without having to cook or clean up (we hear you). However, a lucky 7% of you don’t miss eating out at all, and are actively enjoying the time at home — good on you!

Fillet steaks with mustard sauce | Easy Food — Enjoy a posh steak dinner at home with this easy creamy mustard sauce.

Almost 28% of you have been trying to make meals extra special or fun, and we loved your suggestions. Plenty of you have been making an occasion of your evening meals by getting dressed up and setting the table with candles, napkins, the good tablecloths — even name cards and menus! We loved the themed nights that many of you have been throwing, and were suitably impressed with the number of competitive Come Dine With Me challenges in play.

Tastebud travels Italy Easy Food covid-19 — Make Italian night your next themed evening with these mouthwatering recipes.

In terms of shopping, the biggest concern for over 70% of you is maintaining social distancing while in the supermarket — and rightly so. Luckily, over 98% of you are still able to access and cook with fresh produce, and many of you are deliberately eating plenty of fresh fruit and veg. Over 36% of you have been trying new foods or drinks during this period, from eating more seafood and even making your own sushi to introducing more fermented foods to your diet, such as kefir and kombucha.

Quinoa egg sauerkraut buddha bowls — Give your gut a good dose of probiotics, veg and fibre with these colourful quinoa bowls.

Whatever new food habits you’re cultivating, we hope you’re staying safe, sane and well-fed. We love to see what you’re cooking, so keep us in the loop by sharing pics of your kitchen creations on our social media. Looking for more inspiration? The new issue of Easy Food will be in shops from May 12th, with plenty of recipes to keep your quarantine cooking interesting.