Our daily routines have drastically changed from our simple day-to-day activities to the more elaborate ones like celebrating holidays and other milestones with the on-going pandemic.
One noticeable shift is the trends involving food and drinks. According to the Guardian, cooking at home has become part of our new normal. Besides, more than half of households have been more attuned to planning recipes and meals they intend to continue in the future.
These changes were monitored and gathered by Waitrose every year to determine which food and drink trend will carry on to the next year.
According to Waitrose, the annual food and drink report is mainly triggered by the pandemic lockdown. The report is based on data from purchases in stores and online this year and a survey of 2,000 adults who shop across various retailers. Here are the ten lockdown food and drink trends that they have collected.
1. Cooking is and will be the new commute
Since we have spent most of the year working from home, three-quarters say cooking dinner now serves as a break between working time and home life.
2. Surge in online food shopping
With the pandemic significantly changing how we shop, many are now relying on online food deliveries. This trend is likely to stay, with 69% of people doing online food shopping during the pandemic and are planning to continue doing so.
3. Buying British food products
With more people worried about farming food and standards from overseas, many are wanting to support local farmers. The report predicts that 2021 will be the year of choosing to buy more British produce.
4. Food for free
Foraging is a trend that is a box-ticker for all families. The social media interest for this trend is up by 89% in the UK for this year. Furthermore, it's a family-friendly, fun, and healthy habit.
5. Readying the jams
Another growing trend for this year that will carry on to the next involves preserving, potting, and pickling. Searches for 'pickling' are up with +222% on Waitrose.com. Additionally, social media mentions of preserving and fermenting in the UK are up by 28%.
6. Lows and NOs
During the lockdown period, alcohol intake surprisingly went down. Data showed that 18% of consumers plan to opt for low-alcohol or alcohol-free drinks or mocktails to reduce alcohol consumption. For this year, sales of low-alcohol or alcohol-free drinks are up by 22%.
7. Homebased Baristas
For the UK, which is inherently dominated by coffee fans, the pandemic had been a massive challenge to deal with. As a result, most people became home-based Baristas. Coffee machine sales surged by 64%, and coffee bean sales are up by 44%.
Read also: Make Your Celebration More Festive With These TikTok Holiday Cocktails
8. Slow-cooked meals
The trend for slow-cooked meat searches increased by 46% on waitrose.com. Besides, sales of oxtail are up by a hearty 258%.
9. Asian-inspired essentials
The store cupboard essentials from Asia have been popular over lockdown. Data revealed that rice vinegar sales are up 194%. Meanwhile, mirin rice wine is up 188%, and Japanese rice vinegar is up 180%.
10. Winter rosé
Autumn 2020 sales for Winter rosé were up 57% on the year, with this trend set to grow in 2021. It is officially dubbed as the drink for all seasons for its foodie-friendly, versatile ability.
Related article: Watch Out for These Rising Food Trends For 2021, According to Whole Foods
