Food, Glorious Food During COVID-19 Lockdown: Comparing UK and China 疫情封锁期间的美食：中英美食对比

How COVID-19 Lockdown Changed Cooking, Eating, and Food Delivery in the UK and China

疫情下家庭烹饪、外卖和美食趋势的变化

Hi everyone! I’m Yuri, and today we’re diving into food during lockdown in the UK and China, exploring how people adapted to cooking at home, food trends, and food delivery apps during the pandemic.

Lockdown Cooking and Cravings
Being stuck at home has activated cravings for many people! While some used lockdown to exercise and stay fit, others seized the time to experiment in the kitchen. From baking bread to trying exotic recipes, people across the world embraced home cooking.

In China, there were occasional headlines about unusual foods, but it’s important to note that these are not typical daily meals for most Chinese people. The majority of families rely on everyday ingredients, and lockdown encouraged innovation rather than extreme eating habits.

Food Delivery Apps and Quick Service in China
One major difference between the UK and China is the incredible availability of food delivery services. Popular apps like Meituan Waimai and Ele.me provide everything from simple rice dishes to fine dining, often with delivery under an hour. Fast food chains like McDonald’s and KFC can even deliver in 15–30 minutes!

Supermarkets, convenience stores, and coffee shops—including 7-11, Family Mart, Sam’s Club, Carrefour, Starbucks, and Costa Coffee—are all integrated with these apps, making lockdown life convenient and varied for residents in China.

Home Cooking Trends and Viral Recipes
Despite fast delivery, many Chinese and Westerners honed their cooking skills. For example, A Ya (阿雅小厨), a Chinese chef with over 11 million followers, posted a lasagna-style meat pie tutorial that went viral with 14 million views and 500,000 likes on TikTok. Clearly, lockdown sparked creativity and appetite for food content worldwide.

Key Takeaways

• Lockdown led to increased home cooking and culinary creativity.

• China’s food delivery apps offered unmatched speed and variety.

• Viral cooking videos became a global trend, inspiring millions.

• Food habits during lockdown show the cultural differences between the UK and China in convenience, delivery, and experimentation.

您好，我是Yuri，今天我们来聊聊封锁期间的美食，看看在英国和中国人们是如何通过居家烹饪、食物趋势和外卖APP应对疫情的。

居家烹饪与美食欲望
封锁期间，很多人的食欲被激活！有的人利用在家时间锻炼身体，而更多的人则抓住机会在厨房大展身手。从烤面包到尝试新菜式，全球许多人都投入到了居家美食实验中。

在中国，偶尔有关于“奇特食材”的新闻，但实际上大部分家庭并不会每天食用这些菜肴。对于大多数中国人来说，封锁期间更强调创新料理和日常食材的巧用。

中国的外卖APP与快速配送
中英最大的差异之一，是中国便捷的外卖服务。热门APP如 美团外卖 和 饿了么，提供从简单米饭套餐到高档餐饮的广泛选择，配送时间通常不到1小时。快餐连锁如麦当劳和肯德基甚至可以在15-30分钟内送达！

超市、便利店和咖啡店——如 7-11、全家、山姆会员店、家乐福、星巴克和Costa咖啡——均可通过这些APP下单，让中国居民在封锁期间生活轻松多样。

居家烹饪潮流与爆款菜谱
尽管外卖便捷，许多人仍在提升自己的烹饪技能。例如，中国厨师 阿雅小厨 在TikTok发布的千层肉派制作视频，吸引超过1400万观看和50万点赞，显示封锁期间人们对美食创意和视频内容的巨大兴趣。

关键启示

• 封锁期间促进了居家烹饪与美食创意。

• 中国的外卖APP提供了无可比拟的速度与多样性。

• 爆款美食视频成为全球趋势，激发了无数灵感。

• 封锁期间的饮食习惯体现了中英文化差异，尤其在便捷性、配送和烹饪尝试方面。