Fox News was criticized after it happily reported on the rise of consumers turning to Hamburger Helper for meals even though that's a sign that the economy is in a very bad place.
Hamburger Helper comes in boxed form and consists of a dried carbohydrate (usually pasta or rice) along with a packet of powdered seasonings. The contents are combined with browned ground beef (“hamburger”), and water or milk to create a complete one-dish meal.
It's easy, it's cheap—and it's often favored by those just scraping by. Yet Fox News lauded this development in a segment featuring pundit Kayleigh McEnany.
She said:
"One tried and true brand is making a big comeback as consumers tighten their wallets and here it is—Hamburger Helper. The mix of mac and cheese and ground beef is seeing a surge in sales."
You can hear what she said in the video below.
This "surge in sales" is not good at all.
Roughly 750,000 furloughed federal employees are already feeling the consequences of the ongoing federal government shutdown, facing missed paychecks and tightening budgets. Adding to this, on November 1, millions of low-income Americans could lose access to essential food assistance.
Economists warn that a prolonged shutdown lasting months could drain workers’ savings and weaken consumer spending as more people go without vital government support.
There are also multiple indicators that the U.S. is on the verge of a recession—and the shutdown only raises the probability that the country will experience one.
Payrolls increased by just 22,000 in August, with earlier estimates for July and June revised down by 21,000. That followed meager growth of 73,000 jobs in July, and downward revisions of 258,000 for May and June. Preliminary annual adjustments to federal data also show the economy added 911,000 fewer jobs over the past year than previously reported.
Moreover, long-term unemployment is climbing as well: 1.8 million people have been out of work for more than 27 weeks, accounting for nearly a quarter of all unemployed Americans.
All of this... while President Donald Trump demolishes the East Wing of the White House to make way for a 90,000 square foot ballroom.
People were quick to call this out.
Sales of other budget-friendly staples are climbing—another signal of the economic pressure felt by Americans around the country.
Industry analysts say rice purchases are up 7.5 percent this year, while sales of canned tuna, salmon, sardines, beans, and boxed macaroni and cheese have also surged, according to data from the research firm Circana.
Consumers are trading down in other ways, too. Grocery shoppers are increasingly choosing cheaper store brands, and fast-food chains like McDonald’s are rolling out more value meals. Meanwhile, sales of indulgent items such as ice cream, cookies, and cakes have slipped.
Although inflation has eased sharply from its 2022 peak, grocery prices remain stubbornly high — still 21 percent above where they were four years ago. And in August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported fresh price jumps in several key categories, including meats, coffee, and many fruits and vegetables.
