Homemade food businesses are clear: “Our grandmothers’ stews are in danger of extinction”

The stew pots, chickpea stews and stews that have been part of traditional cuisine for generations seem to have no place in our homes. Lack of time, work hours and new ways of living together have made preparing food at home an isolated event.

In Seville there are many establishments specializing in traditional dishes prepared daily that feed a increasingly different audience. From workers who need to save time, students who miss their parents’ food or elderly people who live alone.

Behind this change, however, a paradox appears. While cooking a stew or spending several hours preparing a stew is no longer so common, the dishes that are most in demand are still precisely these. This is how they explain it from two Sevillian establishments, To Eat Seville and Homemade Meals Pepiwho observe from their counters how the habits of Sevillians are changing.

No time to cook

Fran Lama, head of A Comer Sevilla, believes that the change in how families are organized at the moment. Before there was always a member at home who could cook all day and spend time leaving food ready.

Now, most family members work and have schedules not very compatible with conciliation. This necessarily makes it difficult to cook daily. For this reason, prepared food establishments offer an easy alternative to maintain a varied diet with homemade dishes and saving preparation time.

So much so that the days that highest sales recorded are on Mondays. As Fran explains, many families take advantage of the weekend to rest or spend time together and arrive on Monday without having organized meals for the following days. For her part, Rocío Campos, manager of the Comidas Caseras Pepi store, confirms that many customers take advantage of Mondays to buy lunches for the entire week.

The stew, lentils and stews continue to triumph

Although the new generations have also changed their tastes, those responsible for both businesses agree that traditional stews continue to be in great demand.

In A Comer Sevilla, the homemade ratatouille It is among the dishes that cannot be missed every day. They also highlight the potatoes with chocolate and, when the colder months arrive, they really like spoon dishesthe stew and the stew.

Something similar happens at Comidas Caseras Pepi. The potato omelette It continues to be one of the most requested dishes, while stews are also among the favorites. Lentils, spinach and other recipes from traditional cuisine are part of an offer that preserves its homemade essence.

Fran believes that making a stew or stew is already becoming something exceptional in certain homes, especially when it comes to small families or singles. Rocío Campos has also realized that new generations prefer simpler dishes to prepare, such as pasta, rather than preparing an elaborate dish for several hours.

Buying prepared food for the whole week, a new trend

A Comer Sevilla began its activity six years ago with just five creations. Today, according to its owner, he prepares about nine types of dishes that, with some variations, can take up twelve recipes from your showcasenot counting tortillas, fried foods and other preparations.

Comidas Caseras Pepi, on the other hand, works with an even broader offering. Rocío points out that in her showcases you can find more than 50 disheswhich rotate depending on the day. However, the influx also varies and there are days when they serve around 50 clients, while on some weekends the figure can exceed a hundred.

He telecommuting It has also established a change in habits in our diet. Compared to those who preferred to go to the closest bar to their work, there are now those who prefer to take their food home or receive it directly at the office.

And another factor to take into account are visits to the nutritionists and dieticians. By being able to choose the exact quantities, the menus can be adapted to different diets.

How much does it cost to eat from a container in Seville?

Price is another factor that determines how homemade takeaway food evolves. Fran defends that buying an individual portion can be a economical alternative to cooking at homeespecially when you take into account the price of electricity, the ingredients and the need to buy quantities that are not always used.

For example, some individual portions cost around four euros, while a tub of stew costs around five. However, he recognizes that maintaining competitive prices is one of the great challenges. In fact, he explains that traditional spoon dishes They are not always the ones that offer the greatest benefits. Dishes such as croquettes or breaded fillets are more profitable and allow them to continue the business.

At Comidas Caseras Pepi they are also noticing the increase in costs, especially in products such as meat and fish. Rocío explains that some clients arrive with a very specific budget, while others prefer to prioritize the dish they want to consume without paying as much attention to its price.

From daily lunches to communions and Christmas

It is no longer just everyday cooking habits at home. Family celebrations have also led to abandoning catering and opting for homemade food companies. In birthdays, baptisms, communions and even weddings It is increasingly common to resort to prepared dishes, avoiding having to cook for many guests.

In A Comer Sevilla, Fran assures that many families prefer order main dishes directly and take care of the preparations and decoration alone. In addition, the fact that you can pick it up or use delivery makes it a perfect alternative to traditional catering, especially when you do not have enough budget to have waiters.

Christmas represents one of the busiest times. At Comidas Caseras Pepi, in addition to their usual offering, they prepare specific dishes for these dates, including stuffed chicken, suckling pig and partridges. Rocío Campos remembers that in the previous Christmas campaign they managed approximately between 260 and 300 orderswhich requires establishing deadlines for carrying out orders and organizing work in the kitchen in advance.