More people are searching online and on social media for “struggle meals” as Americans continue to contend with higher living costs and grocery prices.
According to an AP-NORC poll released in August, 53% of American adults said groceries are a “major source” of stress and 29% of the public had used services like a “Buy Now Pay Later” program for essential items such as food at some point.
A September Google Trends newsletter showed “struggle meal” searches hit “a record high” this year, with searches for “struggle meal meaning” more than tripling from August to September.
On Instagram and TikTok, #strugglemeals is picking up steam, and has so far been used in more than 5,000 and 7,000 posts, respectively.
Social media users have adopted multiple definitions for the term “struggle meal,” but it can mean a budget-friendly meal, a meal featuring few ingredients or a meal eaten during a period of financial difficulty.
Popular struggle meal results, according to Google, include nachos, cheesy tortilla rolls, hot dogs, eggs with rice, spaghetti and ramen.
Andrea Glenn, an assistant professor of nutrition at New York University, told ABC News that one of the concerns behind struggle meals is that they tend to offer less nutritional value than other meals or recipes.
“Some of the main issues with some of those meals is that they might be low in protein, fiber and micronutrients, and then they can be high in things like refined carbohydrates, sodium and fat,” said Glenn, who is also a dietitian. “The biggest thing, and if people are able to … [is to] try and make the struggle meal as balanced as you can.”