Covid comfort eating

Internet search trends and supermarket sales reveal that retro foods have enjoyed a sales boom this lockdown summer and I have contributed to those statistics. I do love a good trifle and have made several these past few months, to share with friends at al fresco, socially distanced get-togethers. According to the Co-op, we’ve been buying three times as much jelly as we were pre-lockdown and Marks & Spencer say that Bird’s Custard Powder sales in their stores are up over 100% since March. Internet searches for bread and butter pudding, another favourite dessert, have doubled since lockdown. I don’t need to check out how to make that – I learned at my Mother’s knee - but I would have to join the hoards searching for classic afters like banoffee pie and cheesecake, both of which have returned to the table big-time.

My friends do tease me about my kitchen cupboard stores of a few tins of peas, baked beans, tuna, tomatoes and peaches, even before Covid, or for that matter, well before the Brexit panic – remember that?! I always like to have those essentials handy and these days, I’m in good company as the comfort eating trend has also extended to tinned staples. Data company Kantar has reported that overall sales of canned food increased by 72% in March, compared to last year. We’re all enjoying great value corned beef, beans and fish, as well as arguably more upmarket but equally handy, tinned spinach, salmon and artichokes. So don’t hesitate – get that tin opener out!