A home cooked meal is few and far between for some families
The 1980s may be regarded as the decade that taste forgot – but according to new research, it was the decade when Brits last enjoyed the taste of regular home cooking, as home cooked meals have dropped by 20 per cent in the last 30 years.
Gone are the days when kitchen cupboards would be stocked full of fresh ingredients ready to be whipped up into a delicious meal.
According to the findings in a new study by Kenwood, only four out of the average household’s 21 meals a week are cooked from scratch, whilst consumption of ready meals or takeaways has significantly increased.
This decline in home cooking could, in part, be explained by the country’s lack of confidence in their cookery skill. The research revealed that one in seven Brits don’t feel able to cook a meal from scratch, with men far less confident in the kitchen than their female counterparts.
The study also showed that kitchen nerves are more prevalent amongst the under 35s, who find cooking more stressful than older generations. This could be attributed to the fact that they were less likely to recall seeing their parents cook from scratch whilst they were growing up, highlighting a generation that has had less exposure to home cooking and thus lost basic British cooking skills.
Mark Swift, Director of Marketing at Kenwood, comments: “It’s a great shame to discover the extent to which cooking from scratch is on the decline, and the impact that this is having on our cookery confidence and ability in the UK. Cooking from scratch is a great way to de-stress and it’s also an important way to teach children about correct nutrition, and pass on cooking knowledge so they know their way around the kitchen.
“Kenwood is committed to getting the nation cooking, whatever their level of skill and knowledge. We work with cookery schools throughout the UK to provide them with Kenwood products which facilitate food preparation and help people create great food.”
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