People seeking comfort food during the cost-of-living crisis turned to chicken Kyiv and beer-battered fish.
Supermarket Waitrose said the two dishes were the most popular in the Dine In Meal Deal over the last year as customers became “a little less adventurous”.
Some 32% have regularly eaten classic dishes such as shepherd’s pie and macaroni cheese, said the store’s 10th annual food and drink report.
The “humble spud” was also a big seller, with sales of potato side dishes up 19% – triple-cooked chips and potato dauphinoise the most popular – while sales of Waitrose’s Essential own-brand French fries and crinkle-cut chips increased by 80% and 34% respectively.
Even during summer customers found solace in ready-made roasties and Yorkshire puds, with sales up 47% and 39% respectively, according to the OnePoll survey of 2,000 adults.
James Bailey, of Waitrose, said: “Food inflation has changed not only how people shop, but also how they cook and eat. Price-conscious customers have been searching for the best value, switching more to own-label, buying bigger pack sizes, and looking to our promotions to cushion their bills.
“They’ve been simplifying their meal choices and becoming a little less adventurous, choosing familiar foods and recipes they find comforting. Chicken Kyiv and beer-battered fish are the most popular dishes in our Dine In Meal Deal.”
Fermented foods also became mainstream, with sales of kimchi and beetroot kimchi up 44% and 114% respectively. Some 12% of adults said they have changed their diet, with sales of high-protein drinks and yogurts up 39% and cottage cheese up 14%.
Meanwhile, vegetable crisps suffered a 15% slump in sales, with customers turning back to regular potato ones instead. Waitrose de-listed its ready-made jacket potato with cheese on top as cost-conscious shoppers turned away from products they could easily create themselves.
A third of customers said they have switched from eating a low-fat dairy product to a full-fat one, most commonly milk, followed by yogurt and cheese.
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