What do the French eat during the pandemic?

If there’s one thing everyone can say with certainty about the pandemic, it’s that it has changed many people’s habits and lives in general. So much so that these are considered unprecedented times, as no one knows what to expect anymore.

It is therefore to be expected that the diet of many people has also changed over the past year. With most people forced to stay at home, trying new local restaurants and sampling foreign cuisines while traveling is no longer an option.

What do the French eat during the pandemic, you ask?

As in many other countries, many French people have started preparing their own meals at home during confinement. Although there are still deliveries from fast food brands like Nordsee and Five Guys, most people have opted to prepare their own meals. That’s one reason local restaurants have struggled during the pandemic.

As more and more households prepare their own meals, food sales have been significantly affected. In addition to increased sales of disinfectants and toilet paper, supermarkets had to empty their freezer compartments and suffered a significant shortage of flour. These are the main signs that more and more people are cooking and baking at home.

Stock up, but eat fresh?

According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office, sales of canned sausages will increase by 155% in 2020. This is a considerable increase which can be interpreted as another way of stocking up in anticipation of possible blockages.

With panic buying becoming a major problem in the country in the early days of the pandemic, it is not surprising that the French bought a lot of canned meat and soup. As people hoard toilet paper and soap, it’s no surprise that some people with foresight have also packed canned goods to keep at home for long periods of time if things take a turn for the worse.

In fact, even younger people say they believe the role of agriculture is more important than ever. Combine this with reports that the French have recently paid attention to preparing healthy meals at home, and it’s a good sign that people are striving to stay healthy despite unfortunate circumstances.

Some surveys also showed that a large portion of the population stuck to familiar dishes, but a considerable number of people made an effort to eat healthy meals. The majority of respondents also said they were eating more fresh fruits and vegetables during the pandemic.

To be honest, it’s no surprise that the French eat healthily these days. They have always been known to pay attention to their diet, even though the French love meat.

This does not mean, however, that the French have completely given up eating prepared meals. Burger King recorded stagnant sales in 2020 and McDonald’s also performed relatively well. This means that despite the circumstances, they were able to do good business even with severe operational restrictions.