Food Trends for 2025 Focus on Healthful Foods, Viral Trends, and Protein
With the new year in full swing, looking at predicted food trends can help us better understand consumer priorities and various influences shaping food choices. Social media has a growing impact on food trends, so we will continue to see how online food and nutrition content influence the foods people eat and make this year. In addition, widespread priorities of increasing protein intake and consuming foods for health benefits are likely to continue shaping consumer dietary patterns and eating behaviors.
As consumers have become more aware of the negative impacts of meat consumption, some have shifted away from consuming animal protein. Industrial food animal production (IFAP) has public health consequences, including air and water pollution, waste runoff, and higher rates of disease and illness, that affect all consumers, but especially for individuals and communities working and living near the facilities.
Research published in a recent issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that consuming a higher ratio of plant to animal protein is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, based on findings from the 30-year follow-up study. In addition, a report shared in the July 2024 volume of The Lancet Planetary Health estimates that a 30 percent reduction in consumption of processed and unprocessed meats could reduce rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colon cancer. With consumers paying more attention to the negative health impacts of consuming meat and the benefits of consuming less meat, Meatless Monday presents an easy way to add plant protein to our diet. By reducing meat consumption one day a week, individuals can make eating more healthy plant-based foods part of their dietary pattern.
According to the 2024 IFIC Food and Health Survey, 54 percent of American adults followed a specific eating pattern or diet in the past year. This behavior was more common in younger generations, with 66 percent of Gen Z and 64 percent of Millennials reporting following a specific diet, compared to 52 percent of Gen X and 42 percent of Boomers.
The U.S. News and World Report ranked the Mediterranean diet as the best overall diet for 2025. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, and flexitarian diets were also highly ranked. These diets were recognized for their focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods, flexibility, sustainability, promoting health, and preventing disease, all of which are important to consumers when considering what dietary pattern to follow.
According to the 2024 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine New Year’s Resolution survey, 46 percent of American adults plan to start a new diet as one of their resolutions for the new year. Of the consumers surveyed, 7 percent plan to start a vegan or plant-based diet in 2025. Becoming healthier is one of the main reasons that over half of consumers follow a plant-based dietary pattern, according to the 2024 IFIC Food and Health Survey. “Healthfulness” is an important factor for consumers to buy foods, as 45 percent cited wanting to feel better or have more energy as motivators for following a specific dietary pattern. AP News refers to a growing interest in functional foods, or products people think will improve their mood or health, in their food predictions for the new year.
Social media continues to be a main source of information for consumers, especially regarding food, nutrition, and health. Exposure to food and nutrition content on social media increased significantly to 54 percent from 42 percent in 2023, according to the 2024 IFIC Food and Health Survey. The survey also found that younger generations, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are more likely to seek out this content on social media and trust it but still view healthcare professionals and registered dietitians as the most trusted sources of information on what foods to eat. Content shared on social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, brings diversity to consumer behaviors, as viral posts can expose individuals to new food and nutrition information and products.
Increased use of artificial intelligence presents new opportunities for consumers to manage their diet and health. According to the 2024 IFIC Food and Health Survey, 51 percent of consumers are interested in having artificial intelligence help them make safe and nutritious food choices. In addition, 65 percent of consumers believed that online tools and apps could help them improve their diet and physical activity. Given the existing interest, the use of artificial intelligence and other online tools will likely continue to increase throughout the year.
In a recent article, AP News predicts that the “proteinization” of foods will continue in the new year. High protein was the most popular type of eating pattern that consumers followed, according to the 2024 IFIC Food and Health Survey. The survey also found that 71 percent of Americans are trying to consume protein, an increase from 67 percent in 2023 and 59 percent in 2022. With the help of social media, consumers have become more creative in finding ways to increase their protein intake. Certain high-protein foods, such as cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, were trending this past year. Popular recipes for high-protein meals, including cucumber salad, fluffy yogurt, protein coffee, and cottage cheese flatbread were widely shared online.
In addition, food manufacturers are bringing increasing attention to the protein content in their products, as shared in an article by The New York Times. According to the Key Trends report by New Nutrition Business, demand for animal protein, especially dairy, continues to be strong due to convenience and consumer focus on improving their health and fitness. While animal protein is still in demand, there will likely be more whole, plant-based products produced and sold, to make plant protein a more convenient and desirable option for consumers.
Foods that provide health benefits are important to consumers, which complements growing interest in following dietary patterns that promote the consumption of nutrient-dense foods and support a healthy lifestyle. Increased food and nutrition content shared online and on social media impacts consumer priorities and behavior, creating opportunities for new food trends to emerge in the year ahead.
References:
Best Diets Overall 2025 (U.S. News & World Report)
The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Releases Annual Food & Health Survey Revealing Rising Consumer Stress, Lagging Consumer Confidence In The U.S. Food Supply (IFIC Press Release)
Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Resolve to Start a New Diet in 2025 (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)
New Years Resolution Study (Morning Consult)