According to the sommelier, cooking now feels like a chore. “Many women do not consider it a hobby but a legacy of patriarchy. I find it crazy that there aren’t more men who cook, especially since in gastronomy it’s a man’s job! Cooking shows have instilled a complex even though it’s reality TV. Cooking is not a competition but a pleasure.”
“To cook is to love”
Due to lack of time, people turn to food processors or ready-made meals. On the Delhaize side, we note a 50% increase in two years in Foodmaker prepared meals. 83 new products in the fresh sections were added in 2024. Frozen meals like pizzas have exploded. “We are reworking the range because we see an interest in dishes prepared with attention to quality and healthy products.”comments spokesperson Karima Ghozzi. “Efficiency is favored during the year but during special events, there is always the desire to get your hands dirty.”
Food historian Peter Scholliers (VUB) speaks of an atomization of our way of eating. “We’re going to talk about niches for people who want to lose weight, do sports, old people, young people, women. We still have the family meal but the notion of family has changed and can include friends even if they are meals delivered ready-made, especially among young people.”
Another consequence of the crisis: the Belgian neglects his diet to preserve his wallet
On TV or on social networks, cooking has never been so highlighted. “And at the same time we eat worse and worse at home. People are looking for something easy, comfortable and comforting (fatty, sweet and soft) to eat when cooking doesn’t take time.”regrette Eric Boschman. “We must bring the pleasure of taste back into education from a very young age. Eating can be a pleasure because it is sharing. Cooking is loving.”
