Food is an integral part of our lives as both a means of survival and a glue that bonds us with friends and family over the dinner table or in a restaurant booth. But with widespread self-isolation impacting restaurants and our nation’s food supply, our food culture has shifted within these last few months.

For our fourth week of COVID-19 poll insights, we utilized our poll unit across a variety of news sites with U.S. audiences to discover how the pandemic has altered our readers’ eating habits.

Cooking at home is trending among our readers:

Though delivery apps are adapting to the times and offering contact-free delivery as a method of keeping both drivers and customers safe, only 11 percent of respondents are ordering delivery more frequently. 52 percent of respondents are cooking more at home — one look at cleared supermarket shelves across the country points at this rise in home cooking. 37 percent of respondents report no change in their habits.

When it comes to snacking, 58 percent of respondents can’t resist the allure of Oreos and potato chips. In fact, quarantine snacking is so common that many have dubbed the resulting weight gain the “quarantine 15.” 42 percent of readers, however, report no change in snacking habits.

Though close to half of respondents say they haven’t sought out comfort foods while in quarantine, 24 percent have found comfort in home cooking. Many publications have aided in the rise of home cooking by highlighting a variety of recipes for the curious to try, from pantry-friendly to chef-approved.

While some major U.S. cities are beginning to or have flattened the curve of infection rates, 68 percent of respondents don’t believe the peak of the pandemic has passed just yet. In our last Insights blog, we found that a majority of respondents (38 percent) believe the peak of the outbreak in the U.S. will pass in June or July.

Finally, we briefly look forward to what dining out after social distancing and self-quarantine might look like. 54 percent of respondents are looking forward to dining out once restrictions are lifted, while a more hesitant 26 percent of respondents say no. Food industry professionals have predicted emptier dining rooms and a gradual “trickle back” into dining out as people slowly grow less wary of crowded public spaces.

How is your team gauging your readers’ thoughts today? You can use our highly-customizable polling unit to better understand your audience at crucial moments, and create informative, engaging content that will address their interests and needs.