US consumers have turned to grain foods as a source of comfort and certainty during COVID-19. That is according to Christine Cochran, Executive Director of Grain Foods Foundation (GFF), who highlights how trends around nostalgia, home baking and convenience have been focalized over the past few months. “Notably, bread and pasta have been another popular category of food to purchase and consume throughout the pandemic,” she tells FoodIngredientsFirst.  

GFF surveyed 1,019 US adults representing a cross-section of the population. from April 3 to 6. The survey revealed that approximately one-third of US consumers named pasta (36 percent) and bread (29 percent) as foods that are comforting during a stressful time. More significantly, it also revealed that roughly the same percentage recognize bread and pasta among the most nutritious of all the comfort foods they turn to in times of stress. 

The study concluded that the highest-ranking comfort foods were identified as ice cream (61 percent), cakes/cookies/pastries (55 percent), salty snacks (51 percent), candy (43 percent) and fast food (42 percent). When asked to identify comfort foods with nutritional advantages, consumers identified bread (32 percent) and pasta (31 percent) as the top two comfort foods with nutritional benefits. In contrast, very few consumers recognized their other top five comfort foods as having nutritional benefits – ice cream (8 percent), cakes/cookies/pastries (7 percent), salty snacks (6 percent), candy (4 percent) and fast food (7 percent). 

“On the opposite end of the spectrum, it wasn’t a surprise that 91 percent of respondents ranked vegetables as nutritious, but that they gave them a score of 28 percent in terms of comfort.

Nutrition and versatility attributes lead the way
GFF has been telling consumers that “grain foods are the foods we love that love us back” for years, but the company’s recent survey shows just how real this message has become during the pandemic. “At an extremely stressful and uncertain time, bread and pasta are providing comfort not just because they’re tasty and convenient but also because, unlike most comfort foods, they provide vital nutrients we can feel good about. Additionally, their versatility makes them everyday, every-meal options,” explains Cochran. 

“We all seek comfort in times of stress and uncertainty, and it’s no secret that family, friends, and food – often eaten with family and friends – are some of our greatest sources of comfort. Nostalgia has also been in play, which is why home baking has become such a popular hobby to return to. It reminds us of days before COVID-19 and all that the pandemic has meant,” she continues. 

According to Cochran, what we eat will always be driven first by taste, then by perceived health attributes. “Our survey showed that bread and pasta do something fundamental at this time: they provide both comfort and nutrition. Nutritious foods are always important, but they are even more important because they can balance some of the more indulgent choices that most of us are making. They can be enjoyed as the nutritious part of indulgence,” she details. 

Day-to-day changes
One of the most significant effects of being home more, especially for those with families, is suddenly being responsible for not only feeding yourself but also providing every breakfast, lunch, and dinner to children. This is without the excuse to stop for fast food on the way home from activities such as soccer practice or daycare., Cochran flags.

In that respect, it makes perfect sense that bread and pasta are a popular choice for one essential component of comfort: convenience. Moreover, the popularity of home baking is undoubtedly a result of being home more, with much more free time at people’s disposal, as well, says Cochran. “Flour sales and social media conversations brought to light the challenge, satisfaction and homebound comfort consumers have found in trying [and re-trying] home baking projects. This is the return to something familiar and good that most people didn’t have time for before the COVID-19 pandemic.”

That said, beyond identifying comfort foods and their nutritional value, the GFF also asked consumers if they were concerned about the bread supply. “Twenty-seven percent indicated that they worry that bread is in short supply right now, while 29 percent said that they didn’t know what to do if there is a bread shortage. And despite the plethora of social media posts about the joys of making bread at home, 44 percent of consumers said they see bread making at home as a fun activity but not as an ongoing practical practice,” Cochran asserts. 

“So taking all of these results together, we’ve definitely seen bread, pasta, and baking become essential parts of being home,” she adds. 

The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating anywher from three to eight oz equivalent servings of grain foods (any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain) each day (three for young children and eight for young adult males) and choosing half of these grains from whole grain sources.

“Grain foods should always be an essential part of your daily caloric intake unless you have a medical condition which prohibits their consumption,” Cochran comments. “Whole grains are important sources of dietary fiber, B vitamins, and disease-fighting antioxidants. Many whole grain options exist for bread and baked goods to help consumers get closer to making half of their grains whole grains.”

That said, it’s important to remember that non-100 percent whole grain choices provide essential nutrition through contributions of enrichment, fortification, and the whole grain components remaining. However, under the thresholds to meet the 100 percent whole grain criteria, she flags. 

“Refined grain foods that have been enriched and/or fortified help alleviate shortfalls of certain nutrients including B-vitamins, folic acid, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and the mineral iron. Enriched grains are the largest contributor of folic acid to US consumers’ diets, which is key to preventing neural tube birth defects,” explains Cochran. 

“With all this in mind, I think the most notable takeaway of our survey is that grains play perhaps the most critical role in delivering nutrition to all, from newborns to the elderly, because they do so in a tasty way,” she continues. 

Meanwhile, flavors are a crucial factor to consider, because taste is the primary driver of what people choose to eat. “Some indulgent grain foods tempt us with sweetness from sugar. Still, as we’ve seen and continue to see, the baking industry can be very creative in using new and unique flavors to make higher-nutrition grain foods tastier. “For example, bakers use new flours and seasonings to create bread, bagels and buns that are more attractive to consumers, or unique fruits and seeds to enhance the taste of granolas, tortillas and wraps,” Cochran adds. 

“It’s always interesting to see how both old and new flavors are used, and this survey suggests that using them to present US consumers with more flavors in the product categories that they already perceive as comforting can only enhance that perception,” she says. 

Future food culture
Looking ahead, Cochran believes more members of older generations will continue using grocery delivery services, as a result of the pandemic and because they’ve discovered it’s not just for “super-busy city-dwelling moms.” Additionally, it lessens their risk of getting sick and eliminates the stress of driving, carrying heavy bags and dealing with self-checkout and lines, she highlights.

“In terms of eating patterns, I think one very small silver lining of COVID-19 could be that more families will cook and eat more meals together – both in the US and elsewher. For my family, as well as for so many others in our country, food has been one of the few sources of comfort during this uncertain time. While I know that my family and millions of others certainly won’t be sharing every meal post-COVID-19, I hope they will be enjoying more fun, nutritious meals together than they did in the past,” she muses. 

“Finally, questions of food waste, resourcefulness, and making sustainable choices are as yet unanswered. These will be of interest to all kinds of food folks as we begin to look back on this spring and early summer,” Cochran concludes.