Can A Recession Make You Fat?

I've seen reports that predict the economic recession will cause a rise in obesity. The thought is, people will buy cheaper, less healthy food to save money. More people will turn to fast food to feed their families. Basically, it's a consensus that it costs more to eat heathy. I'm curious if this is true.

Recently, my family eats out less and cooks at home more. We hardly ever go out to sit-down restaurants these days, and we eat fast food maybe twice a month at most. At the grocery store, I save money by making more stuff from scratch. Pre-packaged meals can't compete with a home-made meal. We have a deep freeze and I buy meat when it's on sell and freeze it. A lot of produce, like onions and bell peppers, can be chopped and frozen too so it's easily accessible to quickly cook up a nice meal. I even started making pizza at home which is a lot cheaper than delivery pizzerias, not to mention healthier and a lot of fun to make. And yes, some days I feel lazy and we just make spaghetti.

Buying breakfast and lunches during the work week can account for a huge chunk of the budget. We managed to cut those expenses too without cutting back on taste. Either my husband or I have managed to cook breakfast almost every day. Before work, I make breakfast sandwiches on whole wheat bread with egg and turkey with a side of fruit. My husband and I also make lunches to take to work usually consisting of leftovers from the night before or a sandwich or salad.

I feel my family has been eating better since we started being more conscience of our spending habits. It may be a little more work, but I think it's worth it. I don't feel that the recession will cause any weight gain in this household.

I'm curious, how has the economic downturn changed your eating habits? Are you eating less or eating lower quality foods? Or has it caused you to rethink how to feed yourself and your family? Please share you thoughts.

UPDATE: Poll Results 7/13/09 - 2/20/09

Do you think the recession will cause a rise in obesity?
25% Yes
25% No
50% Meh

Is It A Gift Or An Obligation?

The holiday season is here once more. This is a joyous time of year with some stressful undertones considering the current state of the economy. I already completed all my Christmas shopping for my family and kept my total spending at a reasonable amount for our current budget. I would like to say that concludes my holiday shopping, but my fear is a friend may surprise me with a gift for my son, and then I would feel obligated to buy a gift for their kid.

This year the budget is tight, and I would rather not buy extra gifts for friends and friends' kids. What is the best way to handle this situation? One option is to be upfront and say, "Hey I'm not sure if you were planning on giving us a gift, but I would prefer to not exchange gifts this year." The other option is to not say anything and hope my friends would not take offense if I did not reciprocate in the event they do give us any presents.

Because I still wanted to give something special to my friends and their children, my son and I made cute little cards, and I included a Christmas photo of my son. I thought it would be an appropriate gift during a recession and not make anyone feel obligated to break the bank.

So I'm curious if it is considered rude if a friend buys a gift for my son, but I don't buy one for their kid? Or should I be upfront and say no gifts this year, please?

UPDATE: Poll Results 12/20/08 - 12/27/08

Has the recession had any effect on your holiday shopping this year?
00% Yes
00% No
100% Meh