The hefty regional kitchen was never designed to please calorie counters. A traditional local diet includes much meat, thick sauces, potatoes and vegetables. However, late spring sees the arrival of locally grown healthy and light white Asparagus, Spargel, on the markets. Tastes and philosophies have meant that vegan and vegetarian dishes are far more widespread nowadays in the Ruhr Metropolis too. Meanwhile fast foods such as Bratwurst, Bockwurst, Currywurst and Döner Kebab have remained favourites.