Meals have become expensive – most of us can feel it. The cost of our meals has increased almost 16% this year and this has put a strain on our eating habits.
In a recent survey by Madkulturen, half of us responded that our spending habits have been affected by rising values. And among young people aged 18 to 25, the increase in value will have an even greater impact – here two thirds have changed their habits.
“While flexible lease or mortgage costs are fixed, shopping and cooking are levers we can pull when disaster strikes. In fact, many of us try to do it.” This. For some, it’s a question of cooking, but for others, it’s more of a punishment,” said Judith Kyst, director of Madkulturen.
Cooking is a technical disaster
One of the many places we change our behavior is in the grocery store. Right here, one in five of us now buy fewer things than before, nearly half buy bargains more often, and many in three search for second-hand goods to a greater extent. Meat is certainly one of the raw supplies that can easily devour a large portion of finances. As a result, one in four of us have started buying less meat, while one in five buys cheaper meat more often than before, for example by swapping beef for pork.
Madkulturen’s research shows that adjustments are also taking place in home kitchens. Right here, 44% of us focus more on preventing food waste and using up leftovers. One in four people are buying less takeaway food and one in five are cutting back on home-cooked meals.
“The ability to cook your own meals is incredibly important when disaster strikes,” says Judith Kyst. “It makes sense to save by using leftovers, extending the time it takes to cook meat or prepare meal with green onions and fresh vegetables”.
“However, sadly, it has been removed from those who are in the habit of cooking from scratch and exploring good options in the kitchen. Many people find it annoying and often we are used to spending more and more less time in the kitchen. Then it quickly becomes the less smart choices we make to save,” she continued.
Many people skip meals
While most people cope with disasters by adjusting their shopping and cooking, nearly one in ten Danes have had to take more drastic financial savings measures by skipping some meals. eat because prices have increased. This number corresponds to just over 400,000 adults.
Among Danes with a family income of less than DKK 300,000, it’s a good thing that one in six people sometimes skip meals because the value will increase. And single people are also at risk of skipping meals.
“I see this as a sign of what might be called food poverty in Denmark. In other words, the polarization of consumption habits, among other things, can lead to greater inequality in health. And that kind of inequality will sadly only grow in the future as more people will lose their kitchen habits and ability to cook from scratch,” said Judith Kyst.
Reality
Almost half of Danes (48%) actually feel their consumption habits have been affected by recent increases in food prices. This applies significantly to young people aged 18 to 25 (66%), households with an annual income below DKK 300,000 (62%) and others with young children living at home (55%) .
9% of the adult population sometimes skip meals. This number corresponds to 405,950 individuals. For individuals with a family income of less than DKK 300,000 per year, this figure is 17%, and for young individuals between 18 and 25 years old, this figure is 21%.
- Almost half of us (44%) have become more mindful of food waste.
One in 5 (18%) have started cooking at home more often. Among young people aged 18-25, this applies to at least one in 4 (24%).
9% often cook dinner themselves rather than buy pre-made meals.