What to eat, what not to eat: Menu meltdowns are real
Even with overflowing to-do lists, so much on their plates and little time to spare, urban millennials and Gen Z still find ample bandwidth to overthink, especially about food. A recent report, titled India Overthinking Report, compiled by Centre fresh India in collaboration with market research firm YouGov, states that millennials cite ‘choosing what to eat’ as one of their top unexpected sources of daily overthinking. Whether it’s figuring out what to cook, what the cook should make, or endlessly flipping through food delivery apps amid hunger pangs, meal decisions are a daily mental marathon. From repeatedly scanning menus to polling the room with “kya khaoge?”, people often rack their brains in making this decision. As per the report, Indians spend more time deciding on their food order than the political leader they wish to vote for. It states, “Indecision plays out in the most routine choices. 63% of the 2,010 respondents say choosing a dish at a restaurant is more stressful than picking a political leader. This number rises to 69% in South of India.”‘I keep wondering aaj khane mein kya banega’Most professionals who are living away from their families plan their meals themselves. “I do spend a lot of time just staring at the fridge with its door open, wondering ‘aaj khane mein kya banega?'” says Priyanka Shukla, 30, a Bangalore-based IT professional. Adds, “A fairly big chunk of my thinking capacity goes in meal planning, making sure what I cook or order is healthy, protien-rich and good for the gut, etc.” Tanuj Lakhina, 37, a media professional, says, “I am guilty of spending a lot of time deciding what I wish to eat, mostly true when ordering in or dine-in, but lesser for when cooking at home. So much so, I have been gifted a “menu meltdown” T-shirt! Now I either look at menu well in advance and/or get deadlines before someone else decides for me.”
What to eat?” has become the new existential crisis; it’s constantly on your mind, especially when you’re living by yourself. Whether you’re scrolling through food delivery apps or staring blankly into your fridge, deciding to choose a healthy, affordable and (most importantly) a delicious meal is quite frankly a task
Prachi Mehta, 26, a PR professional
Some, like Anuj Mishra, 28, a professional based in NCR, claim to have simplified their palate. He says, “Living away from family and not having much choice, I’ve come to rely on a handful of go-to dishes. Still, when I’m out with friends and we opt for non-Indian cuisine, I often find myself overwhelmed by the options and struggling to decide.”‘Millennials are less experimental with their orders and prefer familiar dishes’“Millennials and Gen X are overthinkers,” says Sanjali Nirwani, who owns a cafe in Gurgaon, adding, “This comes from their childhood memories when dining out was a luxury and not as frequent as it is today. They are less experimental with their orders and prefer familiar dishes. On average, they would take 10 minutes to place the order in a cafe setting. The younger generations, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, are faster to place orders as they are clear about their likes and dislikes and don’t get swayed by too many options.“
Choosing what to eat feels like an exercise. It’s like cardio, but you’re burning more mental calories than actual ones
Antara Lal, 30, a PR professional
Vidur Mayor, who runs a cafe and bakery in Gurgaon, suggests that menu fatigue is real. “People spend time comparing prices and ingredients. To ease that, we group similar items under one price point, for instance, all sandwiches at ₹299. This helps cut down the ordering time to about four to seven minutes.”
