Millions of Brits reveal they’re eating better during lockdown, and it’s partly thanks to THIS surprise addition to their diets

Spending lots of time at home during lockdown with unfettered access to our kitchen cupboards, fridges and THAT secret snack drawer doesn’t sound like the perfect recipe for sticking to our health and weight loss goals.

But according to new research this is exactly the scenario that has unfolded with a whopping 61 per cent of Brits revealing that they’ve changed their eating habits for the better during the enforced period at home as a result of COVID-19.

The survey of 2,000 UK adults by FLORA showed as well as this group eating more healthily in general (29 per cent), and upping their intake of fresh produce such as fruit and veg (25 per cent) more than one in ten (12 per cent) have added more plant-based alternatives to their diet.

Brits reveal they’re eating better during lockdown: what's on the menu?

While the research doesn’t detail exactly what these plant-based alternatives are the list of dishes Brits have learnt to cook for the first time in lockdown – see below – suggests it could include plant-based protein sources. Common options that are often used in place of meat include soya mince, tofu and tempeh.

• Veggie/meat chilli (14.74 per cent)
• Veggie/meat lasagne (14.07 per cent)
• Veggie/meat pie (12.91 per cent)
• Veggie/meat casserole (11.59 per cent)
• Veggie/meat curry (16.89 per cent).

But ahead of all these on the cook-from-scratch list were homemade pizza (25.5 per cent) and bread (24.34 per cent).

Further insights from the research revealed what has motivated Brits to overhaul their eating the habits. Wanting to be healthier topped the list (half of those questioned), while 27 per cent were keen to save money and 37 per cent hoped to be more sustainable.

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Commenting Catherine Lloyd, Marketing Director for FLORA said: “It’s clear that the nation has had to adapt their eating habits during this unpredictable time.

“Instead of eating what we want, when we want, and dining out when we don’t feel like cooking, meals are taking centre stage and becoming a central point of our socialising and day-to-day schedules. Our research also shows that the nation is making increasingly healthy food choices – including a shift towards plant-based eating, which is great.”