The Top 5 Hottest Trends in Food and What it Means for Nutrition
- Eating at home - up 8% in the last 2 years
- What this means!
- Families eating together
- Desire for home-cooked and healthier meals
- Convenience still important, though! More restaurant meals taken home for the family meal.
- What this means!
- Upscale is in - exotic ingredients and cuisines
- What this means!
- Chefs are the new celebrities
- Grass-fed, free-range, meatless or vegetarian are the hot buzz words
- Gourmet salt, aged meats, infused oils, balsamic vinegars ramp up flavor in foods
- International flavors and foods are in - Latin American, Pan Asian, Brazilian, Thai are the tops
- What this means!
- Portions and Convenience
- What this means!
- Empty nesters are driving this market - portions for one or two
- Semi-home made is in - some preparation still left to the retailer - like pre-peeled shrimp.
- What this means!
- Flavor and Smell
- What this means!
- Crunchy, crispy are the new textures so grains are in
- Umami or meat-like flavor favorite to reduce sodium in foods
- Aroma and scents add to food appeal
- What this means!
- There are more Kids! Children under 5 years expected to increase in next decade.
- What this means!
- Boutique foods aimed at pregnant women promote nutrition quality
- Organic and natural is trend for baby foods
- The food and beverage market aimed at kids age 3 to 11 is expected to grow by over $10 billion in the next 5 years.
- 10% of infants now considered overweight
- What this means!
Trend information from Food Technology Volume 61(4), pages 22 to 39