Roast lamb voted New Zealand's favourite lockdown meal

Your next lockdown dinner is sorted, data gathered from a nationwide survey has revealed that New Zealand’s ultimate comfort meal is a classic roast lamb with potatoes.

The result comes as part of recipes.co.nz ‘Lockdown Kai Survey’ which polled 2058 Kiwis on their lockdown eating and cooking behaviours. After all the votes were tallied, roast lamb with potatoes won favour with 36% of the vote and took out the crown as Kiwi’s ultimate comfort meal. 

70.6% of respondents said that they have been eating more during lockdown, with 91.8% purchasing their food in store at the supermarket. The majority of New Zealanders polled are in a bubble of two (49.1%), with 12.5% alone and 9% in a bubble of five or more. The Great British Bake Off, Give Us a Clue, and Shortland Street are the most popular television boredom busters.

Julia Gardner from recipes.co.nz, says that New Zealand is a food loving nation that happens to produce some of the best food in the world.

“As a country of food lovers, and options limited in lockdown, there really is no better time to get into the kitchen and try some new dishes, or to perfect those classic favourites like a roast lamb with potatoes. Whether you’re locking down alone, or toughing it out with ten others, getting in the kitchen and cooking some tasty tucker can be a very rewarding experience.”

The poll also answered a long-held debate around sweet versus savoury with data showing that Aotearoa is a land of savoury lovers with 69.2% of the vote.  Lockdown dinners, one pan pasta and the rise of sourdough are evidence to the fact that we love nothing more than a morish savoury dish.

As for where they get their inspiration, Kiwis are flocking to online recipe websites to find inspiration (73.8%), with cookbooks (67.1%) and family and friends (39.5%) being next in line for new recipe ideas.

As for life after lockdown, there was a dead heat between two priorities. 28.5% of Kiwis are most looking forward to booking in their overdue hair and beauty appointments, while 28.5% would prefer to order takeaways. 7.1% of Kiwis are looking forward to hitting the gym, and 7.7% of cinephiles can’t wait to head back to the movies to enjoy a blockbuster.

As a nation of foodies, it’s no surprise that 35.6% would want to be locked down with Nadia Lim, followed by Hilary Barry at 16.9% of the vote, and Ashley Bloomfield with 9.4%. No word on whether they would share their lockdown purchase though as 16.2% of Kiwis wish they had stocked up on wine pre-lockdown, with flour 15.2%, fruit 13.5%, pet food 13% and chocolate 12.2% being next on the wishlist. Only 2.5% of Kiwis wish they had stocked up on more toilet paper.

Regardless of your lockdown favourites, or your place in the savoury versus sweet debate, Kia Kaha New Zealand, let’s get through this together.