A salad, a pasta dish or a piece of meat with a side dish. One of the easiest (and fastest) ways to tighten your belt when prices are tight and family budgets are tight. changing eating habits. Eat single plateFor example. Half of the meals eaten at lunch on weekdays are already a single plate.The ‘Food Consumption Report in Spain’, prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and analyzing data for 2022, when the increase in IPC took place in its last edition, is being verified both at home and abroad. has already started to leave its mark on the food industry. This figure represents an increase of 6.7% compared to the previous year. In the case of dinners, seven out of 10 entries A single plate is consumed on weekdays; This is 1.2% more than in 2021.
Although the majority of those who agree with this trend (40%) describe it as “comfort or going faster“, the truth is that the percentage of people who admit to eating a single meal is increasing” saving method against rise Price:%s“, says the document. “This is a completely justified behaviorAmong other reasons, consumers They are becoming more and more rational “They are trying to predict what might happen in an environment full of information about crises, CPI increases and wage losses.” Emilio VizueteProfessor at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Barcelona (UB).
Vizuete adds that the economic crisis of 2008 “put the Spaniards in a difficult situation” more price sensitive“. “Once over be a mileurist It is already so widespread that a significant part of the population is guided solely by price and purchases mostly private label brands. [o marcas blancas] and enjoy the benefits offers“Continues the professor, who specializes in consumer behavior research.
He also adds: Carles TorrecillaMarketing professor at Esade, “geopolitical situation foods from further afieldThe most immediate consequence of this is that “people have returned to cooking, but this has led many people to turn to local produce.” I don’t have much time They have simplified the dishes into one plate as before.
The most direct effect single plate phenomenon It was stated that the number of meals consumed at home decreased by 4.6 percent last year compared to the previous year and 6.6 percent less food was purchased, which means 698.5 kilos gained per person. However, the increase in prices shows that: 3.5% increase in per capita spending Compared to 2021, there is an additional expenditure of 87.36 euros per person, assuming a total average expenditure of approximately 2,582.09 euros per person per year.
Less soup, more sausage
The kitchen preparations most affected were: soups, creams and pureespreparations with fish as a basis and those that combine them flour (normally through sauces or batters). On the other hand, in the ministry’s report, the dishes meatof these vegetables and those eggs “They are the ones who resist the most.” “It’s important to highlight how a single dish’s trend can influence different recipes—add the study’s authors: specifically salads anyone spoon dishes“. Both have evolved from being a starter (or, in the case of the former, also an accompaniment) to a main course, which has enriched and diversified them in terms of ingredients and nutrients.
In a period when food consumption at home decreases, only potatoes as a basis and sausages They grew last year. The former was consumed 7.5% more frequently than in 2021, while the latter increased by 5.7%. The rest fell between 2.1% and 8.7%. “Lentils, pasta and fillet are dishes that are increasingly consumed at home.”
Changes in cooking methods
The crisis is also affecting the way we cook. And so on, oven It is probably the preparation method that is most affected due to its high energy expenditure. iron And cold or uncooked food They take the cake in Spanish kitchens. The former is used for 36.3% of preparations, while the latter represents 30.8% of consumed dishes. Food follows them very closely boiled and steamed at 29.6%. The study attributes the use of these culinary methods above all to “the search for practicality and time savings.”
However, there is still prevalence in the Spanish shopping cart. fresh fruit, vegetables and potatoes, milk and dairy productsThis represented 42.4% of the volume of food consumed in 2022. The reduction in per capita intake affected almost all categories, but had a particular impact on fresh foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables and potatoes, as well as meat and fish. A decrease above the dietary average was observed in the consumption of various dry food products such as sugar, flour, semolina or oil, as well as wine in beverages.