Poll Shows Comfort Foods Playing Big Role In COVID-19

Phil Lempert is a television and radio news reporter, newspaper columnist, author, consumerologist, and food marketing expert. For more than 25 years, Lempert, an expert analyst on consumer behavior, marketing trends, new products, and the changing retail landscape, has identified and explained impending trends to consumers and some of the most prestigious companies worldwide. Known as The Supermarket Guru®, Lempert is a distinguished author and speaker who alerts customers and business leaders to impending corporate and consumer trends, and empowers them to make educated purchasing and marketing decisions.

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TRANSCRIPT:

Forty-four percent of those surveyed said they have even learned a new recipe during quarantine and 32 percent have taken an online cooking class.  But also three-quarters of Americans are eating more comfort food than ever before. 

The study of 2,000 Americans asked about their eating habits during their time in self-isolation and how they have used food to connect with their loved ones during the pandemic and results found food has played a large role in helping respondents cope with isolation — as 37 percent of respondents turn to their favorite feel-good foods daily and another 38% said they’re chowing down on comfort food every other day while at home during the pandemic.

Retailers should compare their sales to this list of the top comfort foods eaten during self-isolation:

Potato chips - 62%

Ice cream - 59%

Chocolate/candy - 58%

Pizza - 56%

Mac and cheese - 51%

Pasta - 46%

Mashed potatoes - 46%

Chicken noodle soup - 36%

And the top way food has positively impacted Americans during self isolation?

44% learned a new recipe.