Cheap and Comforting: Food Trends for 2009

With a recession weighing on our minds (and wallets), Gourmet breaks down new home cooking trends for 2009:

• Drinking will, unsurprisingly, be on the rise, with a wider variety of high-end spirits for simple homemade cocktails.
• Simple ingredients like large beans will be central in a new wave of easy, comforting recipes.

• An increased interest in Indian and Korean food—delicious, and inexpensively prepared.
• Expect to see more “neutraceutical" foods on the market—food and drink infused with extra nutrients.
• Safety scares over Chinese goods will lead to an upsurge in "Made in the USA" food labeling at the grocery store.

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