Shedding the pounds with the traditional January detox might prove harder than normal this year for some as new evidence reveals Britons have been comfort eating in record numbers in the face of a worsening economic climate.
Results from the UK's largest food website, www.bbcgoodfood.com the website from the Good Food Magazine, reveal that cake has overtaken chicken as the most searched-for food term on the website in 2011. In addition, pizza has rocketed up the list of popular searches, from 10th in 2010 to 4th. That other Italian comfort food staple, pasta, has also entered the top ten list of most-searched recipes for the first time.
Other search trends reveal:
Consumers are seeking out more adventurous ingredients and combinations with Chicken and chorizo jambalaya the highest rated recipe of 2011.
Mackerel shot up 10 places from 21 to 10 as users search for different fish to try. Salmon and sea bass also made it into the top 10 searched-for list.
Couscous and courgette (the latter a favourite in 2010) have dropped out of the top ten.
Canapés have also fallen out of the top ten, suggesting we're entertaining less often or prefer more relaxed party food.
February's Good Food Magazine £3.60 is a healthy cooking special, on sale 6th January. It includes quick, feel-good family meals, easy ways to reach your 5-a-day target, energy-boosting snacks and a recipe for dairy-free pizza.
According to Gillian Carter, the editor of the bGood Food Magazine: 'It's not surprising that in tough times we reach for comforting food. One of the ways we keep calm and carry on is with cake and a cuppa - or our imported national favourites - pasta and pizza. However, with a New Year comes a fresh start, so many of us will want to shed a few pounds and this month's healthy issue is packed with inspiring, achievable recipes to help you do this.'
(EDITOR: Is this true of the readers of That's Food and Drink? What do YOU think?)