According to nutrition experts, the number of searches for the word "recession" on Google has risen to the level it was during the recession of 2009. This means that as a society, we are returning to a period where the economy strongly influences our daily dietary decisions. This trend is not just a statistical fact. Google Trends has shown that interest in the recession increased by around 120% from 2024 to the first quarter of 2025.
Nutrition in times of economic pressure
At the beginning of this millennium, we enjoyed stability in the developed world. There was enough work, high incomes, and full budgets. As the quality of life improved, we could pay more attention to a healthy way of eating. Nutritionists and culinary gurus taught us to eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, legumes, and nuts. They advised limitations on fast food, sugary drinks, and dishes full of white sugar and saturated fats.
One study at the University of Oxford in 2023 showed that in households with medium incomes during economic instability, the consumption of organic foods decreased by approximately 30%. Researchers emphasized that people preferred cheaper, conventionally produced food because it was more affordable.
Recession pressures wallets, redirecting purchases
When warnings of a recession came in the second half of the last decade from the developed world, it instantly hit the middle class. Family budgets shrank, so people began adjusting their lifestyles and eating habits.
Our reality is this: with the naked eye, we see that we have to buy cheaper meat and processed meat products, especially when they are on sale. Most people cannot afford more expensive fish, so they do not regularly include them on the menu. Instead, we have gotten used to sardines, which have good fats and plenty of omega-3 fatty acids crucial for heart and brain health. Although quality canned fish cannot replace fresh fish.
Time for cheap but nutritious meals
The recession triggered a renaissance of old traditional dishes that grandparents and parents used to prepare, which were as tasty as they were full of energy. For example:
- Stews: it would be hard to ask for a more versatile dish—root vegetables, some meat, and some bread—a true treasure trove of nutrients.
- Pasta with salted sardines: sardines are a cheap source of protein and fats, while tomatoes add a sweet and sour note.
- Polenta with milk: an ideal cheap alternative to bread, rich in carbohydrates and calcium.
- Vegetable soups: each ingredient is well utilized when transformed into a tasty and filling soup.
Interestingly, the American Public Health Association in a 2024 study found that 64% of households included, who eat traditional foods (stews, canned portions, one-pot meals), spend up to 25% less money on food than the average household.
Healthy children's snacks for less money
Many parents today wonder if they can offer their children something tasty, healthy, and affordable. Here are some simple ideas:
- Chickpea spread: chickpeas are a great source of protein and fiber. One can (400g) is enough for multiple servings. Add a little oil, spices, and you have a healthy spread.
- Cottage cheese spread with a piece of bell pepper: cottage cheese is an excellent source of protein and calcium, and bell pepper is rich in vitamins.
- Outstanding Carrots, celery, cucumbers: small purchases from the local market can be cut into sticks and offered as a daily substitute for chips.
- Fruit: banana, apple, kiwi ... The potassium from a banana (about 358mg in a medium banana), and vitamin C from kiwi (around 71mg), enrich a child's diet.
A study from the University of Ljubljana in 2022 showed that children who eat at least one fruit a day as a snack have an average 3% lower blood pressure compared to those who do not eat fruit. This is a tangible numerical benefit.
Natural nutrition – what does it mean in practice?
If we want to eat naturally, the most important thing is to consider each portion thoughtfully. Here are some key principles:
- Diversity – include vegetables, fruits, proteins (meat, legumes, cheese), carbohydrates (bread, rice, potatoes). The diversity of micronutrients is essential.
- Slowly – not fast food, but meals prepared by ourselves.
- Half portions – put half of the usual amount on the plate. Eat it and wait for 20 minutes. At that point, the feeling of fullness occurs in the brain – it is a psychophysiological response protecting us from overeating.
- Persistence – after a couple of weeks, this way of eating becomes natural and healthier.
Sometimes we can make decisions in our stomach, for example, if we are really hungry, but the right place for decisions is in the brain: that is where habits are chosen, not the stomach. If we understand that the decision is not just in the wallet but in our maturity, we can overcome current obstacles.
Spoon-fed diet as a new fashionable fragrance?
Menus based on soups and stews are increasingly popular. Fountain pasta, chicory, potatoes, pork or chicken ribs, kale or turnip – all complemented with a bit of hard cheese. Such a cooked dish can feed an average family of four with stew, rice, and cheese – a complex meal with proteins, fiber, vitamin C, and calcium.
This type of diet also has support from studies in several countries. A study from the University of Helsinki in 2024 confirmed that consuming stews at least twice a week reduces the risk of obesity in children by 10%.
Recession does not mean we have to forget about taste and nutrition
The diet should be diverse and moderate. Will and effort are very important, not just the state of the wallet. Natural nutrition does not mean buying the most expensive products – it means a thoughtful approach:
- Buy locally when it's cheaper – seasonal vegetables and fruits are cheaper and fresher.
- Look for promotions and occasional stocks – supermarket brochures often offer 20–30% discounts.
- Prepare stews, soups, risottos , where food is prepared slowly but thoughtfully.
- Do not offer sweets to children – carrots, cucumbers, kiwi are equally colorful, charming, and delicious.
Who says that a recession will also bring an obesity epidemic?
Recession can affect our weight in two ways – either we eat cheaper rather than healthy (as a response to the lack of available food), or we replace healthy foods with cheap, fast-food chains that are high in energy but poor in nutrients.
Studies from the World Health Organization (WHO, 2023) show that in crisis periods, the obesity rate in the population can increase by 5 to 7% because people turn to cheap, fast food, unhealthy fats, and fast carbohydrates.
Smart, natural, without exaggeration
- Let's eat diverse, slow, half portions. Wait 20 minutes and believe that you will be just as full.
- Buy cheaper sources of protein, such as sardines, chickpeas, cottage cheese, and cheaper vegetables and fruits.
- Avoid fast food and sugars – the recession does not dictate what children will eat.
- Prepare stews and soups, as they are healthy, homemade, filling, and wallet-friendly.
- Offer natural snacks to children – fruits, vegetables, proteins ... No need to search for exotic healthy superfoods.