Irish-Language

Research shows how Covid has changed how we cook and eat

<b>COOKING WITH GRANNY:</b> New research has shown that when parents or grandparents let their children get involved in making family meals, the quality of the food tends to be higher
COOKING WITH GRANNY: New research has shown that when parents or grandparents let their children get involved in making family meals, the quality of the food tends to be higher COOKING WITH GRANNY: New research has shown that when parents or grandparents let their children get involved in making family meals, the quality of the food tends to be higher

HOWDY to all you take-away fans and home cookers, pull up a chair to the Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.

The Bluffer is starving. Tá ocras an domhain air - he is very hungry but have you noticed that your eating habits have changed during the past year?

Well, according to a survey led by Queen’s University Belfast, how we shop for food, cook and eat has changed significantly during the pandemic.

The Bluffer used to be a fan of the béile le tabhairt leat - takeaway food and the siopa sceallóg - chip shop, chippy or chipper was his best friend.

Suipéar éisc - is a fish supper and a staple of Friday nights.

Other things you gourmets might need to know is a lispín faoi fhuidreamh - a battered sausage or burgaer sicín - a chicken burger.

However, the Bluffer is now going for the body beautiful eating bia folláin - healthy food, something the Queen’s survey has found a lot of people are doing world-wide.

The positive changes they have found is an increase in home-cooking.

Tá mé ag cócaireacht sa bhaile cuid mhór - I’m cooking at home a lot and tá mé ag cocaireacht le comhabair úra - I’m cooking with fresh ingredients is what a lot of people have been telling researchers.

Sin andea-scéala - that’s the good news.

However, there are things that are diúltach - negative too.

There has been an increase in the amount of saill sháithithe - saturated-fat that people have been consuming.

There has also been a spike in bulk buying – which causes pressure on already-stressed food systems and can lead to shortages, triggering further panic-buying – was also observed during the study.

Cheannaigh mé 100 sicín siocaithe - I bought 100 frozen chicken, that sort of thing.

Research was done in Ireland, north and south, Britain, the USA, and New Zealand with the US showing less change than the others.

It was found that parents were cooking (and baking) with their children more - bhí siad ag cócaireacht lena gcuid páistí - they were cooking with their children and interestingly, parents who included their children in the preparation of family meals more frequently had a higher diet quality.

Overall, there was a decrease in the consumption of takeaway food and a rise in réamhphleanáil - planning ahead, siopadóireacht le liosta - shopping with a grocery list, etc). However, when it came to preparing in advance, batch cooking, etc, there were no changes apparent for Ireland or New Zealand. This may be connected to the fact that Irish and NZ restrictions were stricter than in other areas, so there may have been less of a need to prepare food in advance.

Lead researcher on the project, Dr Fiona Lavelle from IGFS said: It’s very important – especially during a pandemic, for obvious reasons – to maintain an aiste bia - a diet that is nutritious and balanced.

So Just Eat has lost another customer as the Bluffer goes on the Covid-19 diet.

CÚPLA FOCAL

Tá ocras an domhain air (taa ocriss un dowan orim) - he is very hungry 

béile le tabhairt leat(bayla le tort lat) - takeaway food 

siopa sceallóg (shuppa skyalawg) - chip shop

suipéar éisc (sipper ayshk) - a fish supper

lispín faoi fhuidreamh(lishpeen fwee idgeroo) - a battered sausage burgaer sicín(burger shickeen) - a chicken burger

bia folláin(beea follaan) - healthy food

tá mé ag cócaireacht sa bhaile cuid mhór (taa may eg cawkerakht sa wala cudge wore) - I’m cooking at home a lot 

tá mé ag cocaireacht le comhábhair úra(taa may eg cawkerakht le co-aower oora) - I’m cooking with fresh ingredients 

Sin andea-scéala(shin un jaa-shkayla) - that’s the good news

diúltach(jooltakh) - negative

saill sháithithe(saal hyheeha) - saturated-fat

Cheannaigh mé 100 sicín siocaithe(kyanee may cayd shickeen shukeeha) - I bought 100 frozen chicken

bhí siad ag cócaireacht lena gcuid páistí(vee shade eg cawkerakht lena gud paashtee) -  they were cooking with their children

réamhphleanáil(rayoo-flanaal) - planning ahead

aiste bia (aashta beea) - a diet