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Food Trends during Lockdown

 A Foodfood Report

Food trends in India during Covid 19 lockdown threw up some very interesting results, a detailed report by Foodfood, food and lifestyle channel.

With India locked down for two months, there was a rise of people experimenting with their passions and interests and among them cooking took first place. This was many times a necessity and many other times an indulgence.

According to social media and google search analysis done by Foodfood, most searched recipe trends included a mix of baking and culinary delights that the country was cooking during the lockdown period of April and May.

The top most searches were Cake, Dalgona Coffee, Samosa, Jalebi, Dhokla, Chicken momos, Panipuri among others.

While ‘Dalgona coffee recipe at home’ spiked 5,000 per cent, searches for ‘chicken momo recipe’ grew 4,350 per cent and searches for “mango ice-cream recipe” saw 3,250 per cent rise on google search.

QUOTE

Chef  Sanjeev Kapoor

“It has been our attempt with our shows and our channel (Foodfood) to help people discover their passion for cooking and this lockdown been proven that – Har dil mein chef rahta hain. During my innumerable live on social media during lockdown, I have interacted with people who have become overnight stars with their cooking recipes on the internet and are discovering their cooking talent.”

What’s interesting is the rise in search has been mainly driven by metro cities including Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkotta, Hyderabad and Chennai accounting for more than 25% share. States that lead the search include Maharashtra, West Bengal and Karnataka.

The first weeks of lockdown saw an increase in buying of staples and spices including rava and maida which were flying off the shelves as people were experimenting with delicious treats rather their normal fare.

Devendra Chawla, CEO, Nature’s Basket & Spencer

 “As people get adjusted to restricted living as the new normal and lack of options to eat out, consumers are increasingly taking on the chef role, a trend which will continue post lockdown too”

Ravi Saxena, Managing Director, Wonderchef in an article mentioned

 “ People interested in baking are ordering ovens and mixers. Many are scrambling to buy choppers and other food-prep tools. There is a marked movement towards automated cooking appliances too.”

Some of the other trends that we saw during lockdown were:

Baking

Everyone with an oven was baking and who didn’t have an oven were baking in pressure cooker.

Whether it was cakes, cookies or even breads, people were trying one thing after the other.

Banana Bread

 With bread supply disrupted, people started making bread at home and Google saw a surge in search of banana bread recipes. Many variations of like banana cake, banana muffins and banoffee pies also made it to list but Banana Bread ruled the roost!

Quarantine Snacking

“Quarantine snacks” became the top trending snack search as more and more people stayed inside and experimented with their pantries.

In an interview with Bloomberg Quint, Future Group President Food & FMCG Kamaldeep Singh had said, “The definition of basic necessity has changed in a couple of weeks from basic foods to snacking and munching items.”

Infact recipes like Samosa, Chinese Bhel, Khaman Dhokla has seen a 300% increase on the searches on websites of Sanjeev Kapoor and Foodfood.

Street Food

With Street food a strict NO and all options gone, renowned chefs and food bloggers took to Instagram to share their versions of some of the best chaat preparations at home. Aloo Chaat!

What’s more, Google insights reported that recipe searches on Youtube increased by 20% for street food recipes! And, the top most-searched recipe was Pani Puri recipe with an increase of 107% search rate.

Other recipes that have been widely searched in street food include Baked Potato Chips, Paneer Shawarma Mexican Paneer Fajita (Source Foodfood website).

Comfort Food- One-Pot Meals

Khichdi and biryanis have been our comfort food for as long as we remember, and also double up as a gourmet dining experience when we want it to be. Making it quick and easy or a time consuming fare, these recipes can be as easy or as tedious as we want them to be. Keywords like easy, quick & tasty have been associated with rice recipes and searches have delivered pulao, fried rice etc.

Google insights has reported with restrictions in availability of ingredients people are looking for alternative ingredient options to savour their favourite dishes without missing out on taste. A 200% growth in searches with the word, “without” has been recorded in the Food & beverages category.

Handmade Pizzas

With kids at home and no pizzas to order, home-made pizzas has been one of the most successful attempts families are making with kids involved. Many chefs have given out recipes and videos and to make easy pizzas at home starting from the dough with variations including sour dough combinations.

Live on Social media showcasing handmade pizzas have garnered huge views and been very popular across the board.

This pandemic has taught us many things and most of self-reliance to a lot of men and women about cooking who weren’t cooking before. Now nobody is afraid to step into the kitchen and learn how to make things from recipe videos. Women were cooking and experimenting way before this pandemic have learnt to share their art and passion.

CHHOTI SI ASHA- FOR FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN TO BE TELECAST ON COLORS AND FACEBOOK

  • The humanitarian initiative –  Chhoti Si Asha- For Future of Our Children – is a joint endeavor by Rotary India, Rotary Club of Bombay, COLORS and Wizcraft International Entertainment Supported By Being Human- The Salman Khan Foundation and Partnered By AskNestle.in and Finolex Pipes
  • The 3-hour event will feature celebrities like Salman Khan, A. R. Rahman, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Sonu Sood, Sunil Grover and many other
  • Donations Link is now LIVE @ https://bit.ly/ChhotiSiAsha 
  •  To Donate Now, Give A Missed Call  +917428212244  To Get A Payment Link
  • The program will air on COLORS, and Facebook on Sunday, 28th June at 3 pm

Speaking on the occasion, Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan said, “Being Human is delighted to participate in this endeavour for the future of our children. The good that we do in the present will decide a better future,” said Salman Khan.”

Designed as a people’s initiative, Chhoti Si Asha- For Future of our Children, the fund-raiser event would be a three-hour program that will air on COLORS AND FACEBOOK on Sunday, 28th June at 3 pm.

FASHION-SUMMER SALE 2020 Grab the hottest summer styles at up to 85% off and many other exciting offers

Starting on 26th June till 29th June 2020.

In an attempt to return back to our lives with renewed energy, the summer sale aims to bring the best and signature styles of the season, aimed at capturing the fashionable lifestyle of today’s young generation with colors such as pastel pinks, yellow with romantic floral prints, pretty crop tops and dramatic sleeves up to 85% off and many additional exciting offers.

Keeping in mind the current situation, SHEIN India is taking several proactive measures for the safety and health of their customers and employees. From the packaging of the products at the warehouse to the delivery, the brand has set a safe work environment and several fumigation measures such as complying with Hospital health standards in disinfecting packages and warehouses several times each day, daily health check-ups for its employees by medical professionals, mandatory for all the employees to wear facemask and gloves while working in the warehouses and no contact delivery to avoid any physical contact.

 

Apart from the above, SHEIN India also, keep a steady track of the affected areas to avoid contact with their employees in those regions

ABOUT SHEIN

SHEIN, A Leading Fast Online Fashion Brand, started as a small group of passionate fashion loving individuals in 2008, to a multinational team, SHEIN has grown immensely to what it is today. SHEIN prides itself on offering on-trend styles catering to both young women and teens, that won’t break the bank.

#IAMPOSITIVE – John Abraham&Guardian GNC urges people to ‘Live Well’

The campaign #IamPositive by Guardian GNC,conceptualised by Gozoop, encourages people to look at the positive side during the lockdown. 

The global pandemic has pushed everyone inside the four walls of their home, making people rethink their movements and actions. Guardian Healthcare, the master franchisee of GNC, a global leader in health and wellness supplements, has launched a new campaign #IAMPOSITIVE to encourage people to stay optimistic while adapting to the new normal.

The campaign, conceptualised and executed by Gozoop, starts with a video where John Abraham talks about how we have been forced to live this life for our good due to the pandemic. The campaign, which rolled out on social media, also highlights how this situation has helped all of us reflect on life and what it would mean to Live Well.

Elaborating on the campaign message, John Abraham says,

“COVID 19 has pushed all of us into fear and negativity. Through this video, we have attempted to showcase the optimism life has shown even in these trying times. The lockdown has connected us to our true purpose as human beings. Once things get back to normal, we should take this opportunity to continue living the right way, while preserving nature, and everything else around us that we have re-discovered. That, to me, is the real meaning of Live Well. Guardian GNC’s new campaign attempts to inspire all towards the true idea of Live Well.”

Shadab Khan – CEO of Guardian GNC India added,

“Optimism and positivity are the fundamentals for one’s healthy well-being. At Guardian GNC, we believe in a positive way of living life and our core purpose is to help people Live Well. As we prepare ourselves for the new normal, we all need to nurture our mind and body well, through a good balance of the right exercise, nutrition, meditation and rest.”

Prashant Sarwade – Head of Marketing, Guardian GNC in India said,

“We all need that extra optimism to bounce back and adapt to a new normal. We felt there is no better way to get inspired than by reflecting on the positive changes in our own lives. We wanted to reach out and connect to the community with our story of optimism, inspired by these little positive changes we all have experienced in the lockdown phase.”

Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO  & Co-Founder, Gozoop

“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you start experiencing positive results. This isn’t just a campaign for us. It is an expression of our belief on how we can win in the new world.”

Campaign Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvueA9DHIhc

 

Stay Protected when You Step Out Super Shield, Breathable face Masks

With the growing need for good quality and affordable masks, Fastrack leading youth accessories brand of the country steps forward to launchSuper Shield masks – a highly breathable 4 layered variant. This is in-line with the brand’s endeavor to equip people working across industries with a product that has effective protection properties and is comfortable and breathable in usage. Special attention has been given to comfort for long usage.

QUOTE

Manish Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, Fragrance and Accessories Division – Titan Company Limited

“.The prime objective behind the initiative is to promote the use of facemasks. This initiative was introduced to address to the current surge in demand of the facemasks and it is asmall step from our side,to offer protection at economical cost.”

Launched in 3 variants in different colors, they come with 4 layers for protection and offer features such as:

–         Super breathable fabric

–         Soft Elastic Loops for ensuring comfort

–         Reusable and Washable upto 30 washes

–         Droplet and Bacteria Protection

–         Anti-Microbial finish

The masks also double up as anti-pollution/anti-dust outdoor mask. They are perfect for indoor usage as well, as they incur minimal eyewear fogging and Low heat build-up which assists in hassle less work for individuals.

https://www.fastrack.in/

Covid-19 Hit Monsoons

Safety Health Measures to Opt By Dr. Khushboo Thakker Garodia

The onset of Monsoon has brought in the much wanted relief from the scorching heat. However, these cool showers have also brought along its own set of infectious diseases which are challenging to manage and extremely easy to transmit.

The probability of being exposed to common diseases like flu and allergic cold is relatively higher during monsoons as compared to any other season. Other water-borne infections bought by the rains are rhinoviruses,typhoid fever, diarrhoea, cholera, leptospirosis, and hepatitis A. This season also carries vector-borne infections like malaria, dengue.

To top it all, since Corona virus is fairly new – we don’t really know how the rain might affect its transmission.

Here are a few Safety Measures one must opt for during Covid-19 Hit Monsoons:

·         Sanitization Kit:Remember to check your Sanitization Kit encompasses of face mask, hand gloves, sanitizer when you leave your house.Remember to wash your hands with soap and water – often and thoroughly. This is applicable for everyone, especially for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, i.e. people dealing with chemotherapy, transplant patients and HIV.

·         Clean and seal all cuts and open wounds:Open wounds unbroken skin invites skin infections. Wash, clean and seal the cuts. Practicing strict hygiene measures is the best safeguard against infections.

·         Disinfect your groceries and kitchen supplies:Make sure to wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly before you eat them. First clean the fruits and vegetables under running water. Use a brush or sponge to clean produce like potatoes, carrots, cucumber, melons – etc – it is very important to clean them well before you peel it – so this way dirt and germs are not transferred from the knife onto fruits or vegetables. Green vegetables need special care. Wash them thoroughly under running water. Discard the outer layer of leaves. Soak in ice water and salt. Do not use soaps or regular detergents to clean the vegetables. You can Take equal quantities of salt, turmeric and vinegar and mix them in hot water. Add this solution in a large utensil and soak your fruits and vegetables in it for a good 30 minutes. You can also add half a lemon in it. Once done, wash them with normal water and dry and use.

·         Hydration:Staying hydrated is even more important in monsoons as we tend to drink less water during this time. Water is very crucial to build immunity. Drink boiled, treated or purified water.

·         Sleep Therapy:A good night’s sleepis important for your immunity. Missing sleep or sleeping for less than six hours a day can put you at a sleep debt, thus making you feel tired and fatigued. It makes your body weak and more susceptible to infections

·         Personal Hygiene:Clip your nails regularly and wash the skin underneath your nail so that germs and bacteria do not accumulate inside your nails. Avoid long nails.

·         Say No to Sharing your cutlery:Avoid sharing the dishes or cutlery when you are eating out even at the office especially if you are feeling sick. It takes an instant for the coronavirus to contaminate the surfaces and infect a healthy person.

·         Opt for Home Meals:Maintain a healthy balanced diet, avoid fad diets or restrictive diets – as they mess up the immune system. Instead opt for home cooked meals

·         Indian Herbs:To boost your immunity, include herbs and spices like ginger, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric in your daily diet.

While most of these are preventative measures, it is very important to be vigilant to avoid catching a cold, cough or fever and keeping an eye out for warning signs.

Keeping contact numbers of doctors and emergency services handy and staying tuned to health-warnings from credible sources are all part of staying healthy and infection-free all through.

Dr Khushboo Thakker Garodia,is a Homeopath,Trichologist & Integrative Health Expert

VLCC Hand Wash to Encourage Practice of Optimal Hand Hygiene

VLCC Personal Care Ltd. today announced the launch of its VLCC Advanced Purifying Hand Wash, to support mitigation of the severe health crisis caused by the COVID-19 outbreak and to meet the sudden spike in demand for hygiene products.

QUOTE

Jayant Khosla, Managing Director & Group Head, VLCC Group

“Since the onset of the pandemic, we all have started to be extra cautious of our health and well-being and as such the demand for hygiene products like hand washes and sanitizers has gone up exponentially. We have decided to manufacture and distribute hand sanitizers as our humble contribution to the collective national effort of tackling the COVID-19 crisis and help fill the need gap for quality products in this category.”

Gleeden Dating trends among grown-ups!

The country wide lockdown has rejuvenated the feeling of love and relationships among individuals. On one hand where couples are coming closer, singles are also not letting any stone unturned in the quest for finding their true love.

In order to find out the the latest findings & trends amongst its niche user base that lies between the age bracket of 34-49 years Gleeden; an extramarital dating app rolled out a survey among 1000 of its users base. The survey was carried across Metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune.

The findings from the survey are pretty exciting and it was found that about 72% of Gleeden’s users are willing to meet their online dates after the restrictions are lifted. The observations also included the expectations and desires of the couples, enclosed are some findings from it.

  1. ‘Love’ can be shared

Nowadays, couples have become more practical towards their relationship and life and are seeking a sound & compatible relationship with their life partner. But in case they don’t get it from them, rather than ending the relationship, people are trying to find their happiness from the outside world. About 48.1% people have confirmed that they can be in love with two different people at the same time while 44.5% have voted against it. A minute 7.4% are indecisive about their decision.

Also about 46% of Indians have admitted that were/are in a relationship outside their wedlock.

  1. Need a partner not a fling!

Interestingly, it has been found out that most of the people committing Infidelity are trying to find a companion rather than flashy flings on Gleeden’s platform. About 68.2% Gleeden users are only confined to one relationship outside their wedlock while only 7.6% of the total users would like to enjoy multiple dates.

  1. 2nd chance is acceptable

It takes a lot to forgive someone who cheated on you but with changing times couples have started addressing & accepting the reasons behind someone committing Infidelity. It has been found out that 36.9% of Gleeden users are willing to forgive their partners without any condition while for 40.1% of them; their future will depend on the reason behind the Infidelity. About 23% of the users will like to call it quits after such an incident happens.

  1. Friends are always the secret keeper

We all have that one person in our life who is the keeper of all our dark secrets and when it is something like committing Infidelity, the other person really needs to be trustworthy.  It has been found out that about 37.5% of Gleeden users are willing to share the secrets about their love affair with their close friends while 31.3% will confess their secret in front of their siblings. The remaining 31.2% would like to reveal their secrets in front of their parents and spouses in order to get rid of their guilty feelings.