‘Last year, we saw tremendous pandemic-related shifts in grocery buying habits as the world adjusted to spending more time at home. As the food industry slowly adjusts to a new normal, we expect to see consumers prioritize food and drink products that deliver additional benefits—like functional sodas and tonics— and products that support their sense of well-being, like urban garden greens and products grown with farming processes that help address soil health,” said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief marketing officer at Whole Foods Market.
Here are the top 5 Diet Trends we are predicting for 2022:
1. Flexitarian Food Diet
The flexitarian movement is still alive and well. Reducetarianism was named a top trend to watch for 2022 in Whole Foods Market’s newest Trends Council report, making it ideal for “plant-curious eaters” who aren’t ready to give up meat totally. Between 2020 and 2021, sales of vegetarian food goods climbed by 156 percent, and vegan product sales increased by 150 percent, according to online food platform ShelfNow, and products like dairy and meat replacements are a rising industry.
The flexitarian diet’s flip side, according to Whole Foods, is that the best quality meat, dairy, and eggs are also in demand. Because customers are more conscious of animal welfare and environmental problems, they are placing a premium on quality rather than quantity. According to Waitrose’s 2022 Food & Drink Report, over 70% of customers indicated the carbon footprint of their food was important to them.
2. Immunity Food Diet
COVID continues to be a major factor on virtually every trend, including food preferences. As we move closer to a post-COVID future, consumers’ purchase decisions are still dominated by health and wellbeing. In fact, the World Health Organization recently released dietary guidelines emphasizing the “importance of a balanced diet to maintain a robust immune system,” which includes the suggestion to eat four servings of fruits and five servings of vegetables each day.
Everything abundant in Vitamin C (from grapefruits to broccoli) and Vitamin E is considered a “super” food in the immune-supporting realm (from nuts to avocados). Elderberries, green tea (rich in antioxidants), Vitamin D (from the sun or food, such as eggs), and garlic are all popular immune-boosting foods. You may make a pleasant and immune-boosting treat for your consumers by combining these components in protein bars.
3. Selenium-rich Food Diet
There has been an increase in selenium-rich foods as a result of the rising cancer worry. It’s an important trace mineral that helps to protect the body from free radicals, which may cause illnesses like cancer. Selenium is also necessary for thyroid gland function and protects the body from numerous illnesses. As a result, foods such as brazil nuts, mushrooms, and eggs will be the finest meals of 2022.
4. Paleo Diet
This diet, which has been around for ten years and has kept many people coming back for more year after year, believes that we should all eat like our caveman ancestors did. This entails eating a lot of traditional hunter-gatherer foods including berries, nuts, and wild-caught animal meat (fish, chicken, etc). High-impact proteins, such as grass-fed whey and collagen peptides, are also encouraged on the Paleo Diet. This diet forbids everything that needs industrialized agricultural practices, such as cereals, wheat, maize, and processed foods like sugar, because cavemen did not farm. If you can cook your meal over an open fire without sauce, you’re probably doing it right.
5. The MIND Diet
The MIND diet is what would happen if the Mediterranean and DASH diets had a baby focused on brain health. Indeed, the name is an acronym for the lengthy “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay,” which aims to help a dieter’s brain by lowering the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Its popularity stems primarily from the purchasing power of the aging Baby Boomer population.
While the scientific community is split on whether it helps or not, some preliminary research is intriguing. In terms of practicality, the diet is essentially the Mediterranean Diet with a low sodium twist – primarily plant-based, with a strong emphasis on “real foods” including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and responsibly sourced, wild-caught seafood, as well as low-fat, low-sodium dairy. Any “superfoods” known to enhance brain function, such as turmeric, dark chocolate, broccoli, and Omega-3s, are a bonus.
We’ve been talking about the future of food for a while now. But what will be trending in 2022-2025? Here are 5 food diets that might make their way into our kitchens and onto our plates over the next few years. Which one do you think is most surprising or intriguing? Let us know! In addition to these new trends, we have a recipe book with 100 delicious recipes from around the world – all made using ingredients found at your local grocery store. Check it out here!
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