With budgets tightening across all economic strata in this country, many families are selectively bypassing organics to save money, according to the New York Times' Andrew Martin. The question that I find even more pressing is whether people are going to stop shopping at farmers' markets across the country, which are generally more expensive than both conventional and organic supermarkets. What are serious eaters everywhere doing to save money? Are organically and/or locally grown produce still important to you? As Martin put it, are consumers going to decide they can no longer afford to let their conscience dictate their shopping list? I for one will not stop supporting my local farmers. I have always felt that local and sustainable... More

Even ramen, delivery pizza, and Easy Mac can add up, which is why some college students are applying for food stamps. Despite the 26-page application, it's probably worth the time—and skipping the philosophy reading—if it means eating tomorrow. With 23,000 Denver residents receiving food stamp benefits, about 4,223 (18 percent) of them are students, according to the Denver Post. The qualifications can differ from state to state, but here's the government's fact sheet on food stamps. The nation's economic downturn is affecting all ages, even the young ones supposedly safe inside dorms.... More

"You don't love us anymore?" the circus animals wonder. Photograph from Food Librarian Mother’s Cookies (responsible for the frosted animal cookies covered in rainbow sprinkles) won't be around for future children. The company, founded in 1914 in Oakland, California, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week, which inspired a halt on all cookie production. Could this be one of the worst ramifications of the economic meltdown yet? The private equity firm that owned Mother's didn't even give employees the federally required 60-day notice, due to "unforeseeable business circumstances." As someone raised on the West Coast, I opened my brown bag to find these often. Non–West Coasters may not understand the joy of little pink and white blobs (supposedly rhinos... More

©iStockphoto.com/DNY59 It's hard to say how the credit crunch will affect the food world. The decadent prix fixe meals with multiple courses may become a thing of the past, but with more people cooking at home, recipes and high-quality ingredients will remain important. Our friends across the pond are also feeling the recession, and already predicting the future of recession cuisine. According to the Guardian: High-quality fresh produce is doing nicely, in some areas. Several online organic meat providers say that orders are well up, possibly because more people are eating at home. Yet organic egg sales were 18% down in September—proof, perhaps, that at nearly £4 [US$6.90] a dozen there is a limit to how far people will... More

"The S&P 500 sank to its lowest level since October 2004 as all 10 of its industry groups tumbled at least 4.2 percent. Campbell Soup Co. was the only stock in the benchmark index for U.S. equities to advance." [Bloomberg News, via Twitter]... More

Photograph from Consumerist At the grocery store, the purchasing power of our dollars isn't the only thing that's shrinking. Manufacturers are quietly downsizing the quantities in packaged food, often while holding prices steady, all in response to the rise in commodity and fuel costs. A few examples: Kellogg's cereals have an average of 2.4 fewer ounces per boxTropicana orange juice containers decreased from 96 ounces to 89 ouncesWrigley's 17-stick PlenTPak has been replaced by the 15-stick Slim PackSpreads (butter, mayo) and ice cream containers have decreased in size overall The story, in Time magazine, says that people are more sensitive to price than they are quantity, which explains why manufacturers are trying to slip the changes by us. "Most... More