COVID-19 has shifted Canadians’ diets and the way they are buying groceries. People are cooking and baking more, going to grocery stores less, and supporting local producers.
Amid changing shopping habits, both food producers and customers are finding ways to stay connected to ensure the growth of the local economy.
Buying in bulk
By the week of March 21, mostly all provinces and territories declared states of emergency due to COVID-19. As a result, Canadians started to buy in bulk and retail grocery sales rose by 40 per cent compared to the same week in 2019, according to Statistics Canada.
“I have been shopping once a week at most and try to get as much shopping in place as possible,” Irena Knezevic said, a Carleton University professor specializing in food and health.
“I now supplement my fresh produce with canned and frozen fruit and vegetables,” she added.
Emma Khazzham, the president of Carleton’s Food Science Society, also said only one person from their household goes out to buy groceries every two weeks.
With more time to cook and bake from home, Khazzham is one one of the many Canadians hopping onto the bread-baking trend with her family during the pandemic.
“Take this opportunity to take risks and see that you can cook. If you build your confidence in cooking now, that confidence will continue to grow post-pandemic,” she added.
However, there are some Canadians who have not had the opportunity to spend their time exploring the culinary world.
“Some of the new phenomena, like the bread-baking trend, are a mark of privilege,” Knezevic said. “Some people are working even longer hours now — such as janitors, grocery store employees, and healthcare workers or are working at home with young kids around them all day.”
Grocery shopping online
Not only have Canadians changed what they’re buying, they’ve also changed how they’re buying their groceries by purchasing local produce online. Ottawa Markets, traditionally held in Byward and Parkdale, recently moved its farmer’s market online to accommodate COVID-19 measures.
Customers now choose products sold by local vendors such as bread, fish or vegetables. Then, they choose a timeslot to pick up their order at the market and a staff member will help them load their produce into the trunk of their car.
According to Zach Dayler, Ottawa Markets executive director, local market farming partners create some of the healthiest and cleanest food available. He added that many people do not see the amount of work that goes into producing these foods.
“People don’t often see the larger machinery that goes into mass production of food,” Dayler said. “There’s a lot of subsidies and local farmers don’t necessarily have that level of support.”
“I’ve been eating more locally-sourced food and at more respectable portions,” Dayler said.
Shifting Ottawa Markets online is another way to provide some normalcy and human connection in these uncertain times.
“The market is how a lot of people start their season and it’s a sign summer is here,” Dayler said. “It’s about coming out and engaging with the farmer — it’s a whole experience.”
He added that the biggest challenge is shifting peoples’ mindset to be less stressed about the social disruption, and more open to their online market solutions.
Reconnecting with local
Due to food shortages and the risks of going to the grocery store, Canadians are also picking up food straight from local farms. Fiat Farm in Russell, Ont. has seen this change in its increased meat sales since the pandemic began.
Fiat Farm specializes in pastured non-GMO pork, chicken, and turkey. They use an agricultural approach called permaculture, which aims to simulate nature and produce self-sufficient and sustainable agricultural practices.
“There is a real emphasis on observing ecosystems. Nobody tends the forest, and yet the forest is thriving because all the parts — the animals, the trees, the land — play a role in the ecosystem,” Meghann Baker, co-owner of Fiat Farm, said. “In permaculture, we try to replicate that.”
During the pandemic, many people have more time to practise conscious eating and learn more about where their food comes from. Baker said she hopes people are able to continue to support and discover local farms like hers.
“Meghann and her husband, Nic, take the time to show you around and make you feel very connected to what they’re doing,” Ruano said, “It’s reassuring for me to get this amazing education experience.”
Baker, who is aware of the hard work that goes into food production, said the knowledge influences her own eating habits.
“Seeing how much work that goes into raising a chicken makes me a lot more mindful and eat less meat,” Baker said.
As people are shopping locally, they have the opportunity to build a relationship with farmers and consider more ethical food options. Knezevic added that food dumping will be less of an issue as people purchase produce more locally.
“We see food being dumped because of the bottleneck slow-downs in that supply chain,” Knezevic said. “More people are becoming aware of the role that small-scale producers, harvesters, processors and retailers play.”
Ruano added that she is already feeling more connected to local producers, like Fiat Farm, and finding a new appreciation for local farming.
“The reason I’m interested in Fiat Farm is because a lot of us are feeling isolated right now, Meghann and Nic offer a real sense of connection,” Ruano said.
She explained that one of the best parts about shopping locally is getting to witness how tight-knit the bond is between local farmers, their families, and their customers, even with the new shifts to online purchasing.
“There’s still a connection to the earth and to people, and that is something I’m really craving right now,” she said.
Featured image provided by Jenna Gernon photography.
