People in Britain love to talk about food, but has cooking become a lost skill in the UK? It turns that that 1 in 50 Brits do not know how to cook a single meal for themselves and that many people are relying on ready meals, takeaways and someone else to cook for them. This could be a big problem for many people and it can be intimidated to get started with cooking.
A Survey Into Cooking Abilities
Furniture specialists, Hammonds surveyed 2,000 Brits and their cooking habits, which revealed some surprising statistics. In addition to 1 in 50 not knowing how to cook a single meal, 25% of respondents admitted to not knowing how to make beans on toast (one of the UK’s best-loved meals!). Additionally, 38% stated that they did not know how to cook an omelette.
On top of this, the Hammonds research revealed that 45% of people did not know how to make a pasta bake and 30% did not know how to cook a jacket potato. These are all basic, comfort dishes, so it is not surprising that only 22% knew how to cook beef in Wellington as something slightly more complex.
Regions
The research also looked at regions and where in the UK people were struggling to cook for themselves. It was Birmingham that emerged as the place where most struggle with 3% admitting to not knowing how to cook a single meal. Manchester’s residents seem to struggle when it comes to making an omelet with 44% admitting to not knowing how to do this.
Why This Is a Problem
The study suggests that cooking has become somewhat of a lost skill in the UK and that many people struggle to cook decent meals for themselves. This is problematic for a few reasons, including the fact that it means that people are probably eating an unhealthy diet as well as spending much more than they need to on food.
Learning to Cook
COVID-19 may have changed this somewhat with many people turning to cooking as a way to keep themselves busy while stuck inside. The internet is a great resource for people getting started with cooking as there are so many easy recipes with simple instructions to try. You only need a basic kitchen and a few pieces of equipment to learn how to cook well and it is a skill that can change many aspects of your life and will always impress others.
As a nation that likes to talk about food a lot, it is surprising to see that so many people struggle in the kitchen. Cooking is a great skill to have that can enrich your life in many ways and it is something that anyone can get started with, especially with so much helpful information online.