Trends

As we look at cultural diversity in the U.S., indigenous foods are receiving a lot of attention as a way to promote both personal and environmental health. These foods are culturally acceptable products that are obtained from local, natural environments. Think about dishes made from indigenous ingredients such as corn, beans, potatoes, amaranth, quinoa and natural wild rice used by the native inhabitants of America. Here are five reasons indigenous foods are important:

There are times when a new term comes across my desk and really captures my attention. This week it was granfluencers, and as I dug deeper, the expanded terms – Instagrannies, Power to the Grey -- drew me further in. What’s clear in my research is that understanding and leveraging granfluencers can be a powerful way for retail RDs to market their programs and services. Here are five things you need to know about granfluencers.

As many shoppers face recipe fatigue, it’s a perfect time to offer mealtime inspiration. Here are some ideas for providing needed solutions:

The beverage category has seen tremendous growth and change over the past several years and the pandemic has spurred on the development of imaginative new products focused on well-being. As consumers seek products with life-enhancing ingredients and attributes that promote wellness, retail dietitians should be equipped to provide expert advice while aligning appropriate, better-for-you beverage options within promotional programming. Here are some trends to look for:

There has been a lot written and discussed about how COVID-19 exposed the supply chain, how transportation flaws forced the surge in oat milk sales and how being stuck at home fueled the sales of baker’s yeast, flour and bread making machines. There is a lot more to the story that will, perhaps, change the way supermarket shelves look in the future.

Today, consumers are tracking their daily steps and their sleep patterns along with logging their food intake. Individuals can be obsessed with this personalized data, using it to monitor healthy behaviors, manage weight and chronic conditions, and set lifestyle goals. Wearables are becoming more sophisticated with the ability to monitor blood sugar levels or dose multiple medications or supplements throughout the day. Layered on top of this lifestyle monitoring is the ability to use a variety of diagnostic tests at home, creating a new industry of personalized diagnostics. Based on blood or stool samples or cheek swabs, consumers are spending their own dollars to better understand nutrient deficiencies, the state of their microbiome, or if they are gluten sensitive.

Medically tailored meals are growing in popularity as part of the Food as Medicine movement. These meals are personalized to address the medical needs of recipients by an RDN, and are designed to improve health outcomes, lower cost of care and increase patient satisfaction. As consumers look to retailers for more food related health and wellness resources, could a retail MTM program be the next step in providing a personalized health solution? With opportunities for reimbursement and the current pandemic situation, this may be a perfect time to look at this opportunity. Here are some MTM questions to first consider:

The landscape of genetic testing has changed dramatically in recent years and there are now hundreds of companies offering direct-to-consumer (DTC) tests. These kits include reproductive, predictive and diagnostic tests that provide information on ancestry, lifestyle factors and potential disease risk.

There are multiple signs mushrooms will be one of the top trending foods for the year ahead. The reason is simple: Fresh mushrooms’ multiple attributes align with the changing dynamics of both dining in and dining out. A nutrient powerhouse, mushrooms also bring a filling, comforting taste. 

My articles on food trends usually include exciting new products and some innovations in food manufacturing or packaging. But like everything else in 2020, this trend report is different because of the coronavirus pandemic. Companies are putting innovation on the back burner to focus on supply chain issues. Stocking shelves with innovative new products is less of a priority than stocking shelves, period.