In fact, it probably becomes a greater focus as our lives in our bubbles at home revolve around work, home schooling and meals.
When that pressure to feed everyone for every meal goes off, it allows a bit more enthusiasm and fun to creep back in for when you do cook.
So this Spring Fresh we have sought to provide you with plenty of inspiration for the months ahead - meals and snacks that can take advantage of new produce as it arrives in the farmers markets and supermarkets and are perfect for gathering with friends and family again.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s new book Together is suitably targeted at communities coming out of lockdown and able to gather together again.
It is based around 18 menus for groups small or large to get together, eat and enjoy without any stress. He has provided us with three recipes from different menus in the book showing easy ways to serve and cook seafood, as well as a lovely pear tart that could finish any meal.
While peas might seem like a freezer basic, Lakes District-based cook Nadia Lim elevates them to a much higher level and gives us some advice on growing them ourselves.
The ‘‘tiny but mighty’’ vegetable is transformed in a green minestrone with pesto which just screams springtime. Nadia also shares a nutrient-packed but naughty dessert to keep in mind for when blueberries start making an appearance.
Our Dunedin-based chefs, on the other hand, are looking forward to easy evenings in the sun - the forecasters are predicting a warmer than normal spring.
Alison Lambert lets us in on her love of small plates of tasty, bite-sized food - think tortilla, croquettes and aranicini. The perfect things to snack on with a glass of your choice before the sun goes down - as is Joan Bishop’s simple and tasty salmon platter.
One thing we have learnt is to appreciate how lucky we are to be where we are and have the resources we do to enjoy good food and, when we can, company.
Stay safe everyone.
