Globally, women are responsible for preparing nearly nine meals a week, in contrast to men, who prepare just four, as revealed by a recent survey. This data indicates that the gender disparity in home cooking is increasing, with women taking on more cooking responsibilities than men in almost every country worldwide.
The data is part of an annual survey by Gallup and Cookpad, which has been tracking the frequency of home-cooked meals since 2018. At that time, traditional gender roles in cooking were already firmly in place. However, during the years of the pandemic, men started cooking more, which led to a narrowing of the gender gap.
Contrary to this, the most recent data for 2022 shows a shift in the opposite direction. Women have maintained their cooking frequency, but men have started to prepare fewer meals, averaging almost one less meal each week. This change has caused the gender gap to widen again, reverting to its initial state in 2018.
The size of the gender gap in cooking varies from one country to another. In the United States, for example, women prepare about two more meals each week compared to men. Countries with the most significant gender disparities include Ethiopia, Tajikistan, Egypt, Nepal, and Yemen, where women are responsible for making approximately eight more meals each week than men.
In a surprising twist, Italy stands as the only country where men are more involved in cooking than women, deviating from the global norm. The reasons behind this anomaly, as well as the widening of the gender gap, remain unclear.
The survey underscores the enduring gender imbalance in home cooking across the globe. Women continue to bear the brunt of cooking duties, while men are becoming less engaged in meal preparation.
