Germans cook more in coronavirus crisis, turn away from junk food

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Many Germans cooked more meals themselves during the coronavirus crisis and also used more fresh ingredients rather than processed foods, the food and agriculture ministry said on Friday.

The ministry said that in a survey, some 30% of those questioned said they prepared more meals themselves than before the crisis, while 28% said they ate more meals together with other members of their household than before the crisis.

Only 7% said they used processed foods more than before the crisis, it said.

Germans used more fresh food during the stay-at-home period, Agriculture Minister Julia Kloeckner said.

“Corona is changing the daily nutrition of Germans,” Kloeckner said. “Regional foods have gained in importance.”

Germany’s coronavirus restrictions, now being eased, were not as stringent as in some countries and people were free to leave their homes and visit food stores as they wished.

Despite imposing border curbs at the height of the pandemic, Germany decided in early April to allow foreign workers into the country to help harvest fruit and vegetables, ensuring supplies of fresh food during the crisis.

Leaving coronavirus aside, the country’s trend away from meat eating continued, the ministry report said.

Some 26% of those questioned eat meat including the national favourite sausage every day, down from 34% in 2015.