People's changing attitudes toward preparing meals reflect a deeper mindset about life, Chen says.

"Buying groceries and cooking involve a certain level of tolerance for mistakes. Whether it's picking the wrong ingredients, arguing with the vendor, adding too much salt, or overcooking the vegetables, you need to be flexible. However, many people seem to have little tolerance for mistakes these days," she says.

Today, people tend to focus on results and efficiency, whether it's cooking or watching a film. This results-driven approach is why many people choose delivery, as they believe it might be better than what they can cook themselves, she says.

Podcast host Fu Shiye says in her preface for the book: "How do we distinguish between 'useful' and 'useless'? Must the 'useless' be discarded? When did speed and efficiency become the sole standard for everything? If people are seen merely as resources to be exploited rather than living individuals, then eating becomes just a function to provide necessary fuel for continuous high-speed operation."

Eating can be more important, Chen says, for food is a small window into understanding the world and life.

"If you love tomatoes but find the available ones bland, do you simply grumble or invest more effort and money into finding flavorful ones, even if it means waiting a long time for delivery? Searching for the right variety and enjoying the process reflects different problem-solving abilities, which is what I mean by food being the smallest unit for understanding the world," she says.

Contact the writer at yangyangs@chinadaily.com.cn