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COVID-19 Working Paper: Consumer Food Spending Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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  • Okrent, Abigail
  • Zeballos, Eliana

Abstract

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected the way U.S. consumers purchased food. The evidence is mixed on how these changes translated into dietary and nutritional outcomes. This report uses the Consumer Expenditure Diary Survey to examine food purchasing behaviors before (2016–19) and during the early onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). As U.S. households shifted away from meals from full-service restaurants, they purchased more food and beverages at grocery stores and other food-at-home (FAH) establishments. Increased FAH spending was driven by higher spending on protein foods, fruits, vegetables, and other FAH (e.g., desserts, prepared meals and salads). However, these increases were uneven across food categories and subpopulations. The largest increases in the FAH share between 2016–19 and 2020 were among single households without children, non-Hispanic Asian households, and in the Northeast. The largest decreases in the food-away-from-home (FAFH) share were among non-Hispanic Asian households and in the Northeast.

Suggested Citation

  • Okrent, Abigail & Zeballos, Eliana, 2022. "COVID-19 Working Paper: Consumer Food Spending Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic," USDA Miscellaneous 333545, United States Department of Agriculture.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:usdami:333545
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.333545
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    References listed on IDEAS

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