BY: CLAIRE KIM
With shelter-in-place orders demanded due to the coronavirus, dietary pursuits have changed accordingly based on individual preference. Some have taken this stay at home opportunity to indulge in sweet and savory snacks, while others have taken a more ambitious route to lose weight and essentially “glow up” before the end of quarantine.
While surveying several of my acquaintances, I have come to an unsurprising conclusion: snacking and slacking is the way to go. In fact, all except one admitted that becoming a “couch potato” has been an inevitable lifestyle change due to the circumstances of COVID-19. I mean, what’s the point of “glowing up” if you’re not going to be able to meet up with your friends anytime soon right?
When pursuing this path of indulgence, the sentiment stated above is one of many reasons as to why dietary restrictions on foods like junk food and snacks have loosened during this time. With no one to meet, the need to be, quote on quote, “attractive” has diminished significantly… one needs motivation in order to pursue something challenging.
Another reason as to why people have started to rely on more pre-packaged, processed foods during quarantine is because of the convenience it provides. Just open the package, microwave for a set of time, and boom, you have a meal to enjoy. This process is even easier for foods such as chips and cookies, in which opening the package is really all there is to do. The consideration of having to stand in line for over an hour to get into a grocery store, and later, go through the difficulty of preparing a meal plan to follow are steps in a health journey that just doesn’t seem enticing for people, especially those who are exhausted.
claire kim. 