Danes’ Eating Habits in 2019: We Still Love Meatballs and Pasta with Meat Sauce, but Sustainability is Sneaking In
Fried chicken, pasta with meat sauce, and meatballs are the most popular everyday dishes in Denmark, according to brand new figures. But despite the dominance of traditional meat dishes, sustainability is creeping into Danish kitchens. Every other household has meat-free days each week, and seven out of 10 want to eat more sustainably. Tove Færch, head of Karolines Køkken, believes that the traditional is being challenged by sustainable trends.
Danes are fond of traditions, and this is clearly reflected in our eating habits. Once again, the most popular everyday dishes in Danish homes are fried chicken, pasta with meat sauce, and meatballs. This is shown in a new population survey from Karolines Køkken conducted via Epinions Danmarkspanel among 2,000 Danes.
“We have studied Danes’ eating habits over a number of years, and it doesn’t surprise me that chicken, pasta with meat sauce, and meatballs are at the top of the list again this year. It is the same 5-6 everyday dishes that remain the Danes’ favorites year after year. Lack of inspiration and time to try new dishes in a busy everyday life lead many to choose the same dishes over and over again,” says Tove Færch, who has been the head of Karolines Køkken for 25 years. However, changes can still occur in the menu.
“The good thing about these dishes is that they can be prepared in many variations. The dishes can be spiced up by adding vegetables, supplementing the meat in the meat sauce with vegetarian alternatives, or adding a homemade pesto as a dip for chicken or meatballs, so the taste isn’t the same week after week.”
Although traditional dishes dominate Danes’ eating habits, new trends, according to the population survey, are beginning to emerge. 37 percent of Danes would like to eat fish more often and use more vegetables in their meals. And this is reflected in an increasing meat-free trend, where as many as 55 percent of Danes eat meat-free dinners at least once a week.
Sustainable Food is Gaining Ground
Sustainability is increasingly occupying Danes’ consciousness, and according to the survey, this can also be traced in our eating habits. 67 percent of Danes say they care about living sustainably when it comes to food and cooking. They do this by eating seasonal fruits and vegetables, sorting food waste from other waste, and buying local food. But most importantly, according to Danes, food waste should be avoided.
Over half of Danes are very or highly concerned about reducing food waste. And to avoid food waste, Danes primarily freeze leftovers, eat food past its expiry date if it looks fine, and use the last contents of packaging.
“The recent years’ focus on sustainability has very quickly changed Danes’ attitude towards food and cooking. The good news is that sustainable cooking doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. It’s about using common sense and utilizing all leftovers in the fridge, saving both money and preventing food waste. Another good tip is to use our ‘Empty the Fridge’ function, which can be found on Arla’s website,” says Tove Færch.
About the Survey
The population survey is based on approximately 2,000 web interviews with Danes aged 18-75, collected via Epinions Danmarkspanel from February 18 to March 4, 2019. The results are representative of the Danish population in terms of gender, age, education, and region. The results are owned by Karolines Køkken and must not be reproduced without reference to Karolines Køkken.
Key Figures from the Survey:
- The everyday dishes most often made by Danes are: Fried chicken with potatoes/vegetables (55%), pasta with meat sauce (53%), meatballs (51%), stews such as goulash or pork tenderloin stew (46%), and lasagna (46%)
- 37% of Danes would like to eat fish more often, while 37% of Danes would like to use more vegetables in their meals
- 55% of Danes eat at least one meat-free dinner per week. Those who sometimes choose to forgo meat do so because it is healthier for the body (25%), better for the climate (24%), and better for animal welfare (15%)
- 52% of Danes are very or highly focused on reducing food waste. To reduce food waste, Danes do the following: Freeze leftovers (53%), eat food past its expiry date if it looks fine (40%), use the last contents in packaging (38%), and reuse leftovers in new dishes (38%)
- 67% of Danes care about living sustainably when it comes to food and cooking. To live sustainably, Danes do the following: Try to avoid food waste (63%), eat seasonal fruits and vegetables (36%), sort food waste from other waste (32%), and buy locally rather than imported goods (31%)
Editorial Note: This press release comes from Arla Foods.