Cambios en las prácticas culinarias y gastronómicas durante el confinamiento de la COVID-19 en la provincia de Alicante

Introduction: The confinement generated by the state of alarm decreed by the COVID-19, forced citizens to stay in their homes except for justified cause and limited access to collective catering services. These restrictions led to a change in the habits and routines of the population, which translated into more culinary activity at home. The objective of this study is to know the impact of confinement on eating behavior, studying the changes in culinary and gastronomic practices experienced by the Alicante population. Material and methods: Observational cross-sectional, although with a diachronic approach based on the perception and experiences of the interviewees: before/during confinement, and non-probabilistic convenience sampling of the population aged 18-69 years recruited electronically between 28 April and 10 May 2020 (weeks 7-8 of confinement) in the province of Alicante (n = 679). Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistical analysis of the data using the SPSS statistical package. Use of nonparametric tests by assuming the condition of paired samples for the responses before (sample 1) and during confinement (sample 2). Results : 70% cooked more often and spent more time cooking. More than 35% expanded their culinary knowledge, with an increase in web browsing and social networking. During the confinement, traditional Valencian cuisine predominated and desserts were the preferred preparations. Group cooking increased by more than 11 percentage points, as did eating in company, although the use of audio-visual devices during the act of eating persisted. 84% changed their perception about some aspect related to food. The differences between the behavior prior to the pandemic and the one that developed during confinement have been shown to be statistically significant in most of the variables tested. Conclusions: During the confinement, the increase in culinary activity translated into a commitment to traditional cuisine to the detriment of pre-cooked dishes, more conviviality in the act of eating, and a greater commitment to trade and consumption of local foods and the sustainability of the food system.