This is a movement best inspired by British super chef Jamie Oliver, who has been videoing and sharing flexible recipes from his home with the mantra Keep Cooking and Carry On.

Oliver aims to alleviate the stress in sourcing ingredients during the COVID-19 pandemic, and offering easy substitutes whether this be for eggs or flours.

Oliver does not want food to worry you.

Bone has effectively been doing this the Ballarat way, teaming with Wilson's Fruit and Vegetables to how people what they could create from the grocery store's seasonal produce box.

He said the supermarket could be an intimidating place for many during restrictions and the rise of produce boxes in Ballarat allowed people to better support the region's small business and help people stay at home.

But simple, healthy and creative cooking could also be good for mental health.

"We're making things stretch more and try to avoid going out. You think outside the square a bit," Bone said.

"A lot of people are feeling anxiety. I like cooking in the kitchen and putting on some music to de-stress and switch off. Cooking almost has a mindfulness element."

National mental health body Beyond Blue promotes cooking as "meditation in disguise" with the need to immerse oneself in the task at hand, the extra special taste in eating something you have made and the physical benefits of cooking healthy food from fresh produce.

In a society fuelled by convenience, Bone said the time to slow down, sparked by isolation, had people reflecting on what was important and what they could do.

"It's not only time, but how do we fill that time," Bone said. "I've completely gone through my pantry and had a good clear-out, for example, those bags of old pasta and sauces that always drift to the back of the cupboard.

"I've looked at new ways to use pantry staples and looked to what I can use up.

"...Little things, like spices, are in everyone's cupboard and can elevate foods in a really simple way in adding great flavour."

Isolation time is also sparking a return to isolation skills, like bread-making from scratch. Ballarat's Bridgette Yeoman's social media videos and her sourdough starter from her Ballarat kitchen have been going viral.

Yeoman told The Courier earlier this week one of the good things about coronavirus lockdowns was people were at home are wanting to learn new skills.

Bone said it was great so many people were prepared to give cooking foods like bread a go. Plus, kneading bread could be a good way to work out stresses.

"So many people are trying bread. Out of this and the hardships people are going through, if something good comes out of it, I hope it's this actually slowing down and realising what is important," Bone said.

Bone, a former MasterChef contestant, Is well-known about Ballarat now for his toasted sandwiches, Tim's Toasties. He has also run the Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden program Yuille Park Community College and said he loved seeing pupils be creative in creating healthy meals from scratch.

Since leaving MasterChef, Bone has been passionate about finding ways to give back to the community and supporting the region's producers as best he could.

He hoped in partnering with Wilson's to encourage the trend back to supporting greengrocers and butchers about Ballarat.

"(Seasonal produce boxes) look like a mystery box," Bone said. "Getting those boxes is exciting and you don't have to leave our house. In a way I can continue on from the show and use different things to create meals."

Eat, Drink, West also launched a regional produce box this month, available for pick-up from Housey Housey, featuring meat, vegetables, bread and eggs.

Eat, Drink, West founder Kate Davis told The Courier producers had needed a way to connect to the public with large supply paths to restaurants drying up during the pandemic. Ms Davis said people were staying home and not wanting to go to the supermarket and this was a way they could access good quality ingredients.

Bone said he greatly missed going to restaurants with his friends and wife but enjoyed spending time in cooking and making the most of what he had in the kitchen.

He felt lucky to be in Ballarat where there was such a strong community pride and support network.

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