13 Ways the Pandemic Has Changed How We Eat in 2020

It's been quite a year. Around this time in 2019, there were lots of predictions about how we'd eat in 2020 — some of the trends that we were supposed to see were babka, a rise in flexitarianism, and less added sugar in processed food. Then COVID-19 hit and 2020 became something different entirely. So, how did we actually eat this past year? Read on for more on how the pandemic shaped our relationship with food.

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Unfortunately, the pandemic has created food insecurity for even more Americans. CNN reported in November that 54 million people in the country could soon need hunger relief, which is 17 million more than pre-COVID.

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Many of us have turned to the humble, protein-filled bean as nourishment. The New York Times reported in March a huge boom in bean sales. It makes sense, right? They're filling, nutritious, and even the fancy ones aren't all that expensive. 

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In a recent poll reported by PR Newswire, two out of three people surveyed said they were eating more comfort food. This includes an increase in the consumption of pizza (55%), hamburgers (48%), ice cream (46%), and more.

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Along the same lines, Forbes found Google Trends data suggesting that we're not just eating more comfort food, we're eating less of the good stuff. Searches for terms like "salads" and "veggies" were lower in 2020 than at the same time in 2019.

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Thanks to social distancing guidelines, many Americans are choosing to drive through or pick up their food. Restaurants like Shake Shack have responded by redesigning their customer experience to include more drive-through lanes and space for curbside pickup.

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Pre-COVID, almost 20% of Americans shopped for food more than 3 times a week. According to a study by consulting firm McKinsey, that number was down to 10% by June 2020. At the same time, Supermarket News reported that online grocery sales skyrocketed, rising from $1.2 billion in August 2019 to $7.2 billion in June 2020. 

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The same McKinsey study also found that many consumers had shopped at new retailers and tried new brands during the pandemic. Thirty-four percent of consumers increased their purchases of private label products. While the effects could take some time to be seen more clearly, this suggests potential shifts in the retail landscape — will our favorite grocery stores even exist in a decade?

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For those of us who are cooking at home, those meals are getting more interesting. Rodney McMullen, CEO at Kroger told The New York Times in September 2020, "People are moving on to more complex cooking, and we don't see that going away."

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The most popular recipe search in 2020? Sourdough bread, unsurprising to anyone who's been on social media this year and seen all their friends become bakers. Kroger also saw a 600% (!!!) jump in yeast sales.

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We're still not sure which of our favorite small food producers will survive the pandemic. The artisan cheese industry saw a huge drop in sales, especially in those businesses that had previously relied on wholesale relationships with restaurants. Sales also dropped by 75% for food and beverages with CBD added. As long as the pandemic continues, we're likely to see small food businesses decline.

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One revolutionary change this year was the decision that some states made to allow customers to order to-go alcohol from restaurants. These states include New York, Colorado, California, Vermont, Nebraska, and more. Could this be here to stay? 

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In a world where close contact with strangers is a public health hazard, we've adapted by making delivery contactless. Doordash, Seamless, and many smaller delivery services offer a contact-free option.

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When the weather allows it, we've also moved our dining to the great outdoors. In fact, many restaurants are changing their design to take more advantage of outdoor space, according to Architectural Digest.

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