D INING IN

South Africans look to eat at home rather than out, writes

OR many, dining at a good restaurant is one of the pleasures of life and most do it every week. After staying indoors and coming home late from work, it’s a welcome reprieve to eat out on most weekends.

Our rationale is that we need a break, and while we are aware that staying in and cooking at home is cheaper and sometimes often more healthier, we look forward to eating out.

But that may be changing, thanks to many factors, mainly the economy.

According to John Bradshaw, Pick n Pay’s Head of Marketing, South Africans’ dining preferences may be shifting as many seek to entertain at home as a more affordable option to eating out.

Bradshaw said their research had shown that an increasing number of their customers were opting to purchase convenience foods to entertain and dine at home with family and friends.

“South African shoppers have always been value focused, but the most significant shift we have seen is how all shoppers, no matter what their income, are watching their budget,” he said.

“As many choose to become more discerning on luxuries, we’ve seen significant growth in the number of customers looking for an easy way to enjoy a good meal without the cost of eating out. For many, dining out is a chance to relax or an opportunity to avoid the hassle of cooking and cleaning up afterwards,” he said.

This is a trend that has seen more supermarkets improve their ready-to-eat foods in store, with some even going so far as hiring

Fchefs in house.

“Our ready-made meals offer the same benefits, but at a much more affordable price. Our convenience range has become a flavoured substitute for eating out with the variety available and the ‘no fuss’ element range offers. We can see this in our party snacks and mezze range – such as the Smokey hummus, mushroom pate and tricolour dip, to sweet potato balls, mini pies and chicken wings – which create entertainment options with minimal effort, while the curry category – with the range being authentically made using hand blended spices is a popular dining ‘in’ option, especially the 1kg chicken biryani meal,” said Bradshaw.

Ready made meal delivery companies like My Chef, The Frying Pan, Ginger Apple and Fit Chef, have also seen an increase in popularity in their services, due to being more reasonable than eating out.

Asked why eating at home was better than eating out and its benefits, Bradshaw said eating in was a great way to save money, you ate healthily and built happy memories with your family.

Below are Bradshaw’s benefits of eating home-made meals

Healthier – You know what you put into your meals so you can make sure you’ve used the freshest produce and best ingredients.

Affordability – It’s much more affordable for those watching budgets but wanting to offer friends and family great entertainment.

Quality time can be spent with family and friends. Nothing beats the family sitting down together and having a meal. It may take some effort to make it happen but it’s always worth it.

Variety – You can either refine your culinary skills with prepared foods, or if you are short on time, the broad range of ready-made meals available can provide for friends and family within minutes.

Dietary preferences – You can prepare or cook to your tastes and requirements. For example, if you are following a healthier meal plan option, home cooking can enable you to use more healthy, lower-fat cooking methods.

OPTIONS: Dining preferences may be shifting as many seek to entertain at home as a more affordable option.