PULSES are a low-fat source of protein. | TIJANA DRNDARSKI Unsplash
Trends for your tastebuds A year of lockdown has seen us making changes to our eating and cooking habits, and experts say the habits formed in 2020 are continuing in 2021 Viwe Ndoneni-Ntlebi and IANS
THERE’S a growing appreciation for ingredients such as ghee. | MEGUMI NACHEV Unsplash
ARGUABLY 2020 saw the biggest shift in food trends; not only were families forced to cook more and together at home, but many turned to cultivating vegetable gardens for fresh produce. Experimentation in the home kitchen also thrived. As most people had more time, cooking became a family affair and was more enjoyable. Some products were harder to access, so we had to be inventive. There was less waste and we became more conscious of what we were eating. But, going forward in 2021, celebrity chef Sarah Todd believes we will see an increase in plantbased food and sustainable eating. “There has been a paradigm shift in eating habits. The last 12 months have instilled a new mindset that will continue in 2021. We will think before we spend, meaning home cooking will continue. Farmers’ approach to marketing has matured and customers are now more aware of what is available,” she told IANSlife. Globally, we’ve seen the phenomenal rise of more plantbased eating amongst the privileged who can easily afford a high consumption of meat, a status symbol in our social hierarchy for millennia. South African Registered Dietitian, Kelly Scholtz says: “An affordable diet in the average SA household is already very much plant-based, with small amounts of meat, chicken or fish used when possible, with beans, peas, lentils and foods like milk and eggs providing alternative and good sources of protein. “In those households with more access to expensive foods, there is also likely to be more aware of diet and nutrition trends. It is already clear that restaurants and retailers in South Africa are stocking more meat alternatives and vegetarian and vegan products in support of this trend, which suggests that there is more demand for plant-
