Trends and Entertainment

Recession Diet: Comfort Food

If you’ve noticed more people packing on the pounds as of late, it isn’t your imagination. As the number of unemployed workers has grown over the past year, so has the average American’s waistline, a phenomenon nutritionists are calling “recession obesity.”

Of course this news should hardly come as a surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention at the grocery store checkout line. Sales of junk foods like doughnuts and chips have skyrocketed, while fewer cost-conscious customers are buying organic fruits and veggies at the same rate they were in years past.

For an even better indicator of where our waistlines are heading, the best place to look may end up being the grocery store shelves.

What We’re Consuming
Craft Beers
Although overall beer sales have fallen 1.6 percent this year, business for craft brewers—the kind who make fewer than 60 barrels of beer a year—has actually increased, with sales growing by 6 percent.

Chips
Sales of junk food, like chips, have gone up by “close to 10 percent” in 2009.

Frozen Foods
Thanks to their long lifespan and cheap price, microwaveable frozen meals have gone up in popularity during the recession, with sales expected to increase by 25 percent by 2013.

Doughnuts
Doughnut sales are up 4.3 percent this year, moving shares of Krispy Kreme up 56 percent in late April.

Fast Food
McDonalds reported a 5.1 percent spike in same-store sales in May, buoyed by its budget-friendly espresso drinks and new fried chicken sandwiches.

Jellies, Jams, and Peanut Butter
Sales of “sweet spreads” are forecasted to grow by 26 percent by 2013, as more consumers begin bringing their lunches to school and work.

What We’re Shunning
Organic Food
Despite a growth of 15 to 20 recent in recent years, sales of organic fruits and vegetables are now predicted to decline by 1 percent in 2009 as consumers shift their grocery budget to pay for less expensive items.

Gourmet Coffee
Commonly seen as a luxury, sales of gourmet coffee are on the decline, while chain shops like Starbucks continue to show major slumps in quarterly profits.

Wine
Wine sales have taken a tumble in the UK, where the amount of wine bought in pubs and nightclubs has gone down by about 12 million bottles already this year, although sellers of less expensive bottles have yet to feel the pinch.

Steak
Decreased consumer demand has led the cattle industry to slash steak prices at grocery stores by 30 percent already this year.

Tags: beer, diet, food, organic food, wine