The Röstigraben at Christmas
The seventh study of the Coop initiative “Eating trends in focus” is dedicated to the topic of eating with pleasure
The Swiss value delicious food very much, as the latest study “Eating trends in focus” by Coop shows. 27% of over 600 respondents are most happy about a voucher for a fine meal (before clothes, holidays and wellness). But while the Romands particularly enjoy going to a restaurant, the German-speaking Swiss like to eat with relatives and friends. For the French-speaking Swiss, socializing is what counts most when it comes to eating; for the German-speaking Swiss, high-quality food is the focus. Even at Christmas dinner, the spirits only partially match: almost half of all respondents enjoy a fondue bourguignonne or chinoise. With fish versus Schüfeli, however, the Röstigraben opens up.
Earlier results of the study series “Eating trends in focus” confirm that Mr and Mrs Swiss attach great importance to enjoyment while eating. But who understands what by enjoyment? Unexpected rifts open up between old and young, man and woman and, last but not least, between French-speaking and German-speaking Switzerland, which hosts should consider. Tips for a successful, intercultural Christmas menu:
Christmas menu - a röstigraben around fish and Schüfeli
Almost half of the respondents usually eat Fondue Chinoise or Fondue Bourguignonne at Christmas. Just under a fifth of those questioned still enjoyed fillet in dough, with 23% being significantly more men than women (13%).
Salmon or other fish are often eaten, especially in French-speaking Switzerland: 30% of those surveyed say that they have fish on their table on the Christmas holidays (German-speaking Switzerland: 12%). Turkey, goose and duck are also mentioned as a Christmas menu by 27% of French-speaking Switzerland (German-speaking 5%). On the other hand, the German-speaking Swiss enjoy significantly more ham or Schüfeli (11%) (Western Swiss 4%).
Do you cook yourself or a restaurant?
The majority of respondents associate the term enjoyment in relation to meals with peace, well-being and a suitable environment. Significantly more French-speaking Swiss and women, however, associate eating pleasure primarily with good company: 30% of the French-speaking Swiss and 15% of the German-speaking Swiss only half as many.
Over a third of those surveyed state that they can enjoy a meal best when they do not have to prepare the meal themselves. 16% of the respondents estimate that they can prepare the food themselves with little effort. The size of the household plays an important role in this aspect: Little preparation is ideal for 23% of one- to two-person households, while only 12% of households with three or more people are of the same opinion.
Nevertheless, 35% of those surveyed experience food enjoyment primarily at home. Among the French-speaking Swiss there are even 46% who can really enjoy the food at home, in contrast to just under a third of the German-speaking Swiss make the same statement. Differences between western and German-speaking Switzerland as well as men and women are also evident when eating with relatives and friends: while every fifth German-speaking Swiss enjoys dining with relatives or friends, the figure is 14% for men and only 12% in western Switzerland.
Showing love with food
Almost a third of people who show their love for food do so with something sweet. The German-speaking Swiss are ahead here with 32%, while the French-speaking Swiss are 19%. Anyone over 50 years of age has a significantly less “sweet tooth”: a third of this group would rather serve their loved ones a good piece of meat than something sweet as a proof of love.
The older respondents also set the accents differently when it comes to enjoyable food: While 38% of those under 29 and a third of 30 to 49 year olds think that it is important to have enough time to enjoy a delicious meal, this is measured among those over 50 only 19% attach particular importance to this aspect. Even when preparing a nice meal, those over 50 like to have it rational. Instead, they explicitly value good service when eating out.
Technical support from the Swiss Nutrition Society SGE
The representative Coop studies on the nutritional behavior and awareness of the Swiss population are carried out and published on a regular basis. The Swiss Society for Nutrition SGE (www.sge-ssn.ch) provides technical support for the “Eating trends in focus” project and ensures that it meets high nutritional standards. The present seventh study was carried out in August 2011.
You can download the study report as a PDF file [here] download.
Source: Basel [Coop]
