Natural Grocers’ BB #:188775 Nutrition Education team, consisting of health and wellness experts ranging from Registered Dietitians to Certified Natural Foods Chefs, collaborated with our purchasing and analytics team to study consumer shopping preferences and the latest research to predict these rising and shifting trends for 2024.
Food + Beverage Trends
We All Get On Board with Boards
The internet has exploded with boards. From butter boards to dessert boards, snack boards, and more, boards have been having their moment—and social media is to blame.
The “bring a board” party trend is not disappearing anytime soon. The premise is simple: each pal brings a board laden with a different treat. The further from the traditional charcuterie board, the better. It’s the new potluck! Why are boards so popular? First, they’re beautiful (i.e., perfect for social media) and they don’t require “chef-y” skills to make. People are excited to share food again while also looking for stress-free ways to host.
The Mediterranean Diet Stands the Test of Time
The Mediterranean Diet is certainly not new, but it is all the rage. It has stood the test of time because it’s delicious, easy to follow, and it supports health in a myriad of ways. Even better? It’s not a strict diet, but an eating lifestyle that leaves you feeling satisfied, not deprived.
What is it? The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating that includes veggies, fruit, fish, olive oil, nuts, beans, legumes, spices, and a moderate amount of red wine, dairy, meat, whole grains, and eggs. It’s been studied for decades for a wide range of health benefits, and the studies just keep coming. In 2022 alone, numerous studies have found that it can support brain metabolism and promote cognition, aging gracefully, promote healthy pregnancy, and more.
Replacing High Omega-6 Oils Becomes a Health Priority
For far too long, “vegetable” oils such as corn oil, soybean oil, and cotton seed oil have been touted as healthy, and with that, have become the predominant fats in the average American’s diet. We cook with them at home and they are ubiquitous in processed food, but these oils are high in omega-6s, which, when consumed in excess, can promote inflammation in the body.
In 2024, our cooking oils are getting a good4u upgrade: We’ll swap those pro-inflammatory omega-6 oils for healthy oils like olive oil, coconut oil, and high-oleic sunflower oil. And we’ll focus on consuming more health-promoting omega-3s, found in wild salmon, pasture-raised beef, algal oils, fish oils, and sardines to support healthy mood, healthy blood sugar balance, cardiovascular function, inflammation modulation and so much more.
BONUS TREND: Be a Regenivore
Natural Grocers Regenivore Meal Wheel: A trend that stands alone while also touching every other trend for another year in row will be a new way of eating called the Regenivore Diet. Eating like a regenivore means making food choices that support your health and the health of the planet. Of course, it involves building delicious, healthy, and satisfying meals that provide essential nutrients the body needs to function optimally and support healthy blood sugar balance. But eating this way also supports the planet’s health, because it emphasizes nourishing foods that are grown by farmers and ranchers who prioritize practices that sustain and regenerate the soil, water, biodiversity, and the overall ecosystem in which they function. This includes foods that are organic, non-GMO, regeneratively grazed, humanely raised, and sustainably sourced. What’s not to love about that!? After all, the Earth is what we all have in common, and sustaining and regenerating the land is essential for not only providing for us today, but for generations to come.
