一人食正徹底改變我們的飲食

Eating alone has become a defining feature of modern life: the breakfasting commuter; the household members with conflicting schedules; the widower who receives few visitors. Almost a third of British adults are eating alone "most or all of the time", according to the latest Wellbeing Index, compiled with data from more than 8,000 people by Oxford Economics and the National Centre for Social Research. Similarly, a Mintel survey of 2,000 UK consumers aged 16 and over has found that one in three are "regularly eating every meal alone". In London, the figure rises to almost half.

一人食已成爲現代生活的一個特徵：早餐通勤人士；時間對不上號的家人；鮮有客人的鰥夫。最近的幸福指數表明，近乎三分之一的英國成年人"大部分時間或一直都是"一個人吃飯。該幸福指數的依據是牛津經濟研究所和英國國家社會研究中心對8000多人進行調查後所獲得的數據。同樣，英敏特對2000名16歲及以上的英國消費者開展的一項研究發現，三分之一的受試者"經常一個人吃飯"。在倫敦，這一數字幾乎上升到一半。

Much of this solitary munching takes place behind closed doors. Single-occupancy homes are the second-most-common household size in Britain and a record 35% of over-16s are single, according to the Office for National Statistics. This is why, in 2018, Tesco announced plans to stock more than 400 single-portion products including burgers, steaks and vegetables.

一人食通常發生在大門緊閉的情況下。單人住房是英國第二大最常見的住房類型，而16歲以上的人羣中，35%的人都一個人住，英國國家統計局的數據表示。所以，2018年，特易購宣佈，計劃購入漢堡、牛排和蔬菜等400多種單份產品。

As a nation, we have also become less self-conscious about solo dining. The bookings website OpenTable recently reported that reservations for one have increased across the UK by 160% since 2014. Bar seating and communal tables are increasingly popping up in restaurants.

就國家層面而言，我們對一人食的意識並不強烈。訂餐網站OpenTable最近報道，2014年以來，英國一人座的預訂量增加了160%。酒吧凳和公共餐桌也越來越多地出現在餐館中。

While solo dining in all its manifestations is liberating, our new dietary habits steer us into uncharted territory. Until now, eating in groups has been a universal human ritual. Not only is it practical (many hands make light work - and also reduce our vulnerability to predators) but meals have, traditionally, been used to meet our fundamental need for connection with others. One might also wonder if it is only a coincidence that this new phase is happening at the same time as rising obesity rates.

雖然各種形式的一人食都是一種解放，但這種新的飲食習慣卻將我們帶入了未知領域。直到現在，集體飲食一直都是全人類的飲食習慣。不僅因爲其實用（人多力量大--也使我們在面對掠食者時，不至於不堪一擊），而且因爲從傳統角度看，膳食可以滿足我們與他人聯繫的基本需要。有人也許會好奇，發生這一新趨勢的同時，肥胖率也在上升，這是不是隻是巧合？

On a micro level, deciding what to have for dinner after a long day can be a challenge. "Eating alone has not only hugely changed how and what we eat but also how we talk about eating," says Bee Wilson.

微觀層面而言，經歷了漫長一天，這時候決定晚上吃什麼可能是一個挑戰。"一人食不僅極大地改變了我們的飲食和就餐方式，也改變了我們談論飲食的方式，"畢·威爾遜（Bee Wilson）說道。