Eating, munching, gobbling, snacking, call it what you want, but most of us grew up with one common love – food. For instance, the vibrancy of colours and tempting aromas from the home kitchen made us more curious to explore varied tastes and recipes to treat palate as we grew up. In this gastronomic tale/journey, we tend to come across infinite offerings, especially in the snacking space. But it seems like the pandemic has opened doors to many more exciting food recipes and options to binge upon, be it at home or elsewhere.
‘Recipes’ most searched during lockdown
As per a recent Google trend report, ‘recipes’ was one of the most searched keywords during the lockdown. It also mentions how consumers cooked more at home, experimented with new recipes, and bought more branded foods. This resulted from restricted mobility, which caused out-of-home consumption of chips, confectionery, cookies within schools, offices and travel to remain muted. However, demand for snacks, such as packaged cookies, chips, noodles, and macaroni, grew over the last two years as the pandemic prompted consumers to create newer in-home eating occasions. It has brought about the conversion of out-of-home consumption occasions into in-home consumption that has driven growth for snacking, a Kantar report added.
Multiple snacking patterns
Such reports pointed out the drastic change in the consumption patterns of most Indians, as they are making nutrition-related choices and becoming more ingredient-conscious. Back in the day, there was a pattern of traditional meals, which transformed into “multiple snacking patterns" with high nutritional-value snacks over fast food. "As a result, most consumers seek snacks high in protein content and vitamin-rich. Eating healthy is perceived as boring, leaving the foodie in you unsatisfied and probably daydreaming about thy cravings. It is a challenge that requires discipline, knowledge, and commitment" says Abhishek Sinha, Chief Business Officer - Britannia Dairy.
Healthy DIY snacks
Since the inclination towards healthier snacking, consumers also cooked more at home and experimented with new recipes that witnessed an increase in first-time cooks experimenting with quick DIY snacks. A healthy meal provides the necessary proteins required by your body to stay fit. It is an important macronutrient essential for optimum growth in both adults and children.
Importance of good quality protein explained by Abhishek Sinha, Chief Business Officer - Britannia Dairy
Daily intake of good quality protein plays a vital role in keeping our cells in good shape. However, even though protein is present in the food we eat daily, it is sometimes not enough to fulfil the needs of our bodies. Interestingly, a study conducted by ICMR* in 2020 also found that 18 per cent of the urban population and 5 per cent of rural Indians in the country consume the recommended amount of good quality proteins.
But why should a protein-rich meal be bland?
We are conscious people that deserve to treat ourselves with good food every once in a while. However, whenever we are eating out or cooking, our eyes wander towards the part of the menu or fridge which contains the irresistible indulgence we are trying to avoid. However, we can always perk up our meal with the goodness of cheese with its added benefit of good quality protein derived from the goodness of cow’s milk.
Cheese: High-quality protein
"Cheese is not just an accompaniment but an emotion representing fun, happiness, indulgence, and good times. This makes cheese a rich and delicious source of good quality protein and a perfect partner to your regular diet. Cow’s milk is known to have the highest quality of protein amongst vegetarian sources. Adding two cheese slices provides protein equivalent in a glass of cow’s milk or 35 g of Paneer*. It is available in many forms, such as cubes, pieces, and spreads, making for an easy and hassle way to include rich protein in your diet. While snacking, we often struggle to find innovative and tasty ways to improve our meals. However, new age snacks help us realize that the right food choice can be lip-smacking and delightfully healthy. The goal is to get the proper nourishment without compromising taste and delight. So be it with parathas, sandwiches, rolls, or salads, you can easily make your healthy meal scrumptious with protein-rich cheese," concludes Abhishek Sinha.