When home food is no longer the default

Every morning 58yearold media producer Delna Patel takes the window seat at Nandan Coffee in Kala Ghoda and watches the world go by over a cappuccino with hazelnut in almond milk Some days she reads others she has fun chats with total strangers ldquoItrsquos my two hours sometimes more of peace and peoplewatching I love the coffee and the baristas here treat me like family Itrsquos my happy place I know Irsquoll never be disappointedrdquoDespite owning a Nespresso machine milk frother a collection of coffee mugs from around the world and a beautiful home Patel prefers her coffee at Nandan And it isnrsquot just about the coffee ldquoIt beats going home and organising your meals for the day when there are so many options outside No dishes no cleaning up and no cooking With the cost of everything especially when yoursquore single itrsquos cheaper easier and less hassle to eat out unless you love to cookrdquo says PatelAlbert Henriques eats out almost daily at lunchtime due to workConvenience is addictiveFor many restaurant food and delivery have moved beyond the occasional indulgence The Indian restaurant industry is valued at Rs 569 lakh crore and Mumbai has already seen over 100 new restaurants cafeacutes bars and foodled openings this year Interestingly the National Restaurant Association of Indiarsquos India Food Services Report 2024 found that Mumbai residents consumed nonhomecooked food 792 times a month on average Thatrsquos roughly twice a week About 30 per cent of Mumbaikars said they were dining out more frequently postpandemicCappuccino with almond milk at NandanDelivery has deepened the habit further Swiggyrsquos 2025 data put Mumbai among its leading cities while one Mumbaikar placed 3196 food orders between January and November that year the highest recorded for an individual user in India It is an extreme outlier but also a striking illustration of how seamlessly delivery can become part of an urban routineFor Thane resident Sanjay P the kitchen is still active He and his wife both cook but her office schedule and his workfromhome meetings make cooking every meal difficult ldquoI get caught up in meetings and often end up ordering rather than cooking We do meal prep but with my frequent work travel it isnrsquot always practicalrdquoSanjay Prsquos usual order is this Kerala meal from Malabar HouseThe couple follows a glutenfree diet and has a trusted list of places for clean glutenfree meals particularly Kerala and Maharashtrian food He sees the same pattern among friends ldquoMost newer nuclear dualincome households I know eat out or order in at least four meals a week Even the definition of homecooked food has changed Half the meal may be homemade while the rest comes from readytoeat or heatandeat products like powdered marinades frozen parathas and readytoeat gravies that need only vegetables or protein Convenience is increasingly entering the home kitchen alongside traditional staplesrdquo he addsSanjay PAt 48 businessman Albert Henriques eats out almost daily at lunchtime largely because work keeps him moving ldquoItrsquos about convenience speed and varietyrdquo Dinner depends more on social commitments and his childrenrsquos moods For him ordering can be about cravings variety or simply escaping the everyday menu He prefers Continental food while his family tends towards Indian staples such as dal and rice making delivery an easy way to break the monotony Delivery has expanded the choices widening Mumbairsquos food map beyond professional restaurants his favourites being Banana Leaf Deepak Pure Veg and Veronicarsquos ldquoIt has also helped us discover cuisines we might never have tried otherwiserdquo he points outDr Sharat Kolke Anushka Bhattacharya and Aditi PrabhuIn her 18 months in Mumbai Chef Anushka Bhattacharya who trained with Chef Massimo Bottura at Osteria Francescana has never had a cook For someone who has spent years in hospitality long hours make ordering an easy fallback ldquoHospitality has very long gruelling hours After that a quick meal from a takeaway container before crashing is all most of us have the energy for especially when yoursquore living alone without family waiting with a table laid out for you Being chefs and home cooks wersquore more aware of whatrsquos really behind those carefully shot Swiggy pictures and can make slightly better choices But we have our days and we often give in too Everyday home food can feel too boring for all the effort it takes Home food is still home food but quick food delivery has certainly crawled into everyonersquos livesrdquoShe has her regulars Khao Man Gai in Bandra Kebab Gunj Hundorsquos Mezcilita and Boujee Kuai When she misses home food therersquos Oh Calcutta and Trishna when she feels like splurgingIs that alrightFor physician and diabetologist Dr Sharat Kolke the concern isnrsquot that people order food but that it has become the default He sees patients who have a kitchen and even a cook at home yet rely heavily on restaurant and delivery food ldquoConvenience time and variety have made eating out a routine rather than an occasional family affairrdquo he says The nutritional concern he says is that outside food can be caloriedense and high in oil salt and refined carbohydrates while hygiene is another consideration Awareness he adds often comes late when weight or blood sugar cholesterol and blood pressure begin to rise ldquoWe need to move from a symptomdriven approach to preventionrdquo His advice donrsquot avoid eating out altogether but choose wisely Prioritise protein vegetables and fibre control portions and limit fried foods sugary drinks and refined carbohydratesClinical and sports dietitiannutritionist Aditi Prabhu sees a similar pattern ldquoRestaurant meals may also not be nutritionally balanced as their focus is on pleasing the palate Besides what you choose how much you consume and how frequently you have it mattersrdquo Her advice is simple understand why yoursquore ordering check if yoursquore actually hungry and choose food you genuinely enjoy rather than something labelled lsquohealthyrsquo that leaves you unsatisfiedrdquoFor a generation juggling work and social lives cooking is not the only way to put a meal on the table and coming to terms with that is important lest the right eating choices are made5 expert tips to make ordering in healthierHere are nutritionist Aditi Prabhursquos tips for healthier orders1 Donrsquot wait until yoursquore ravenous It makes one prone to overeating2 Keep a trusted list of goto restaurants and dishes for busy days3 Build the meal Start with protein and vegetables then add rice roti or millets4 Choose lighter cooking Grilled steamed or roasted is generally preferable to fried or heavily sauced5 Order smaller portions and skip the extras sugary drinks smoothies and desserts neednrsquot be part of every order792No of times a month Mumbaikars dine out or order inSource National Restaurant Association of India 20243196No of delivery orders placed by a particular Mumbaikar in 2025 ndash the highest in IndiaSource Swiggy 2025