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Vegan Vegetarian diet motivated by Corona

How Corona has positively changed our eating behavior

Do you also think the Corona pandemic is having a significant impact on our eating habits? The coronavirus pandemic has had a lasting impact on our entire daily lives. Of course, this also applies to our eating habits. But has corona also made our eating habits more sustainable? I would like to explore this question today.

In this article, I would like to take a look at the most important changes and analyze what impact Corona has had on our eating habits. Let's go!

People are cooking more themselves again

Grabbing a wooden spoon again and preparing a delicious, healthy meal yourself? During the coronavirus pandemic, many people were forced to do so, as there was often no alternative. The home office, which was implemented in the majority of companies, and so-called home schooling ensured more time at home. For this reason, meals out were less common. The focus was rather on the desire to take the ingredients into one's own hands.

This trend can not only be proven on the basis of large surveys. The demand for suitable recipes from the internet also increased significantly during the months of the pandemic. As a result, these sites not only achieved more clicks, but were also able to welcome their users to the site over a longer period of time.

Many people prefer smaller portions that can be combined without fixed rules. Instead of the three fixed meals of the day, food should be adapted to personal needs throughout the day.

In terms of sustainability, there are several advantages associated with this development. Firstly, it is a trend that reduces the environmental impact of packaging waste in the sense of the Zero Waste Lifestyle significantly reduced. On the other hand, a large proportion of food is processed fresh in the kitchen again. Long transportation routes and refrigeration, which are necessary in other cases, can easily be mitigated by this change in demand.

Vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming increasingly popular

Corona eating behavior in the pandemic

Whether ultimately Bats, raccoons or snakes the cause of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan were: Our brutal treatment of innocent animals ultimately endangers ourselves.

The Tönnies scandal has opened the eyes of many people. On the one hand, because the workers' conditions are extremely brutal and underpaid. Secondly, because COVID-19 is not the first virus to be caused by animal husbandry. The cattle disease BSE also originated in this way. These facts are finally stirring up resistance among the population - and the will to change their own eating habits.

More and more people start into vegan life. To end the exploitation of animals - but also for environmental protection and our own health.

Tip: If you still lack the motivation for a plant-based diet, then be sure to check out the Documentation "Dominion on. It has also significantly influenced my personal eating habits.

Three new food trends due to the coronavirus pandemic

New eating habits through Corona

At the same time, several food trends have become very important during the pandemic. Experts assume that they will continue in many households in the post-corona period. The longer the restrictions imposed by the pandemic last, the more firmly established the current trends will be in the common perception.

1. soft health

A balanced and healthy diet - This concept was already gaining more and more followers in the years before the pandemic. There are now many people who are concerned about the design of their plate. While in recent times this has been driven by the desire for better fitness, for example, aspects such as the body's own defenses an important role. A holistic diet that includes large portions of fresh vegetables, pulses and cereals has been very popular ever since. Offers such as ready-prepared vegetable boxes from the organic farmer around the corner are naturally increasing the demand for such offers even further.

Tip: Look under Reduce food waste if you want to make your diet even more sustainable.

2. DIY food

What better way to spend your time in your own four walls than growing your own food? If you only have a small balcony, your options may seem limited at first. But things like Herbs, small salads or Tomatoes (see Grow tomatoes) can also be grown well there. The drive to be able to do something useful even during this time contributed significantly to this enthusiasm. It can be assumed that many hobby gardeners will continue to pursue this interest after the pandemic is over

Tip: Have a look at my article about Sustainable gardening inside to learn even more.

3. local food

The importance of local food for sustainable consumption has had to be preached again and again in recent years. The enormous environmental benefits associated with this have been multiplied by the corresponding supporters. In the period of the pandemic, the regional foods regained importance and they are on the menu for more and more people. Ingredients that can be grown locally are now extremely popular. This is the counterbalance to accelerated globalization, the disadvantages of which have now become all the more apparent due to coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the importance of local food is not only evident in private kitchens. More and more restaurants have also discovered an opportunity to address their customers with a unique offer. Especially the Lockdowns have made many highly developed countries aware of the vulnerability of their supply chains and shown that something needs to change.

Tip: You can find even more tips in my article about regional shopping.

Delivery services on the upswing

However, not every change that our way of eating has undergone in recent months has had the desired positive effects. On the other hand, delivery services, for example, have been able to attract more customers again. But not every messenger is on a bicycle. But it is not only the greater distance that the food has to travel that stands in the way of a concept of sustainability.

On the other hand, it is the resulting packaging waste that becomes a risk. Nevertheless, many people appreciate the quick support they can get with just a few clicks. After all, even those who work from home don't always have the time to make an effort to prepare a good dinner. However, it is of course more sustainable if you cook yourself or pick up the food from the restaurant yourself.

Different eating behavior but less exercise

More than half of the population in Germany recently stated that they are moving less as a result of the pandemic. Many everyday routes simply have to be covered less often or not at all. If no physical energy is burned, even the healthiest diet is useless. The daily calorie intake is then not adapted to this lower consumption due to the reduced physical activity. There is a risk of weight gain. To prevent the corona pounds from becoming a permanent phenomenon, it is extremely important not to neglect physical activity.

Tip: If you want to know, what lessons we can learn from the coronavirus pandemic, be sure to check out the linked post.

So is coronavirus changing Germans' eating habits?

Definitely! Through Corona, the focus is finally on regional, healthy and even home-grown food. An enormously important step in the fight against the climate change and for a Sustainable nutrition of our company. However, this step was not entirely voluntary. It would therefore be presumptuous to firmly believe that the newly established food trends will now firmly anchor the topic of sustainability in people's minds and kitchens. Further efforts will be necessary to maintain the positive changes in our eating habits.

Do you have any questions or suggestions about this article on how the coronavirus has changed our eating habits? Then send us your comments.

Stay sustainable,

Living plastic-free - Less plastic waste in the environment

PS: Want to know, Why I eat a vegan diet? Then take a look at the linked blog post. I would also like to share my free veganism e-book "All Arguments Against Veganism to the heart.

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Christoph Schulz

Christoph Schulz

I'm Christoph, an environmental scientist and author - and here at CareElite I'm campaigning against plastic waste in the environment, climate change and all the other major environmental problems of our time. Together with other environmentally conscious bloggers, I want to give you tips & tricks for a naturally healthy, sustainable life as well as your personal development.

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