When the United States went into quarantine this past March due to COVID-19, households across the country found their daily routines upended. Suddenly faced with more time at home and with each other, families in the Trinity Area School District adapted their meal time habits to the new situation.

For many, one of the hardest things about self-quarantine was the sheer amount of time spent in the home environment. Eating with family members became a daily event where before it was a rare occurrence.

Mr. Polansky commented on eating more meals with his family, “At the beginning of COVID, Denise and Laney and I made it a point to eat together. It felt special, you know, until we got tired of each other.”

Getting “tired” of family members was one of the new challenges quarantine presented. Busy families went from frequenting fast food and eating on-the-go to eating three meals a day together. Mundane activities like buying groceries and cooking meals abruptly took more time and attention.

However, without having to rush to a sports meet or band practice, dinner became a more significant part of the day.  

Amy Bissett, a mom of two elementary-aged children and a newborn, said, “Without any commitments or extracurriculars, there wasn’t as much of a hurry. I think I had more time to put a meal together.”

Quarantine also provided the opportunity for different family members to get involved in the food-making process. In some households, quarantine was the first time a younger child helped prepare a meal or a spouse surprised their partner with dinner. 

Because limiting exposure to others is one of the recommendations for reducing the chances of contracting COVID-19, some people adopted alternate methods of getting their groceries such as consolidating a few weeks’ worth of groceries into one large trip or choosing curbside pickups and delivery. During quarantine, many also ate out less or opted only for take-out to support local businesses.

Since people were buying food less frequently, shelf stable items like canned goods became all the more important. As a result, buying in bulk became common practice for some. 

 Sophomore Liz Ross said her mom stocked up on pantry staples, like pasta, because they were reliable and everyone in the house liked them. 

As reliable as shelf-stable goods are, it is easy to become bored of them. From make-your-own pizza night to celebrating a different major holiday every weekend, families incorporated creative “theme” nights to their meal rotations to keep dinnertime fun and engaging. 

Creative celebrations and festive feasts aside, quarantine gave people the chance to realize the importance of family. 

“(In quarantine) you start appreciating each other more. When life becomes, ‘who died today?’ or a friend dies, you hug your loved ones more. You take each day for granted. Quarantine made me appreciate being together more. It’s just a shame that’s what it took,” Polansky said.

Overall, COVID-19 has altered almost every aspect of daily life for people around the world. While quarantine kept many people apart, it brought many families together through food and fellowship at the dinner table.