Domestic cooking and food behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis: A scoping review

Abstract

This scoping review examined how the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis have influenced domestic cooking and food-related behaviours. Following PRISMA-ScR, a systematic search across five databases and grey literature sources identified 4955 records. After screening, 98 studies published between 2020 and 2024 were included. Most studies were conducted in the UK (22.4 %) and USA (18.4 %) and employed cross-sectional (94.9 %) and quantitative (73.5 %) methods. The review identified widespread increases in home cooking, with 50–78 % of participants reporting greater cooking frequency. Changes in food shopping were also prominent, including reduced in-person visits (reported by 40–74 % of participants) and increased online grocery use (25–61.8 %). Budgeting behaviours adapted to financial constraints, with many households reducing the quality and quantity of food purchased, substituting fresh with shelf-stable options. Improvements in hand hygiene were widely reported (74–90 %); however, unsafe practices such as consuming expired foods or mishandling leftovers, remained common. Only 4.1 % of studies received a positive quality rating, with frequent use of non-validated tools and self-reported measures. Future research should employ longitudinal designs to assess the sustainability of these behaviours. Structural policy actions are needed to ensure access to affordable, nutritious foods and support sustainable food practices during ongoing economic challenges.