Healthy food trends come and go. The dessert hummus you craved in 2018 might not seem so appealing today, just like those bike shorts you had to have are gathering dust in your closet. I’m a trend-watcher—OK, obsessed—especially when it comes to nutrition. I love reading the tea leaves and then watching all the new products and TikToks hit as soon as everyone recovers from their New Year’s hangovers.
Certain themes will continue to trend from last year, like protein-packed everything and products tailored for GLP-1 users that maximize satiety without spiking blood sugar. And the growing tide against seed oils will push food brands to introduce more products like dips, chips, crackers and more made with avocado and extra virgin olive oil. Let’s dive into the new trends that will be making a splash across culture in the coming year.
Beauty Foods
At the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Nashville this fall, I spied new products touting “beauty from within” benefits, which set off my 50-plus radar. Certain foods, like avocado, salmon, berries, eggs and sweet potatoes, have topped beauty editors’ lists of skin-enhancing foods for years, but this year, expect to see the callouts front and center on packaged goods. Collagen is the protein that literally provides structure to our hair, skin, and bones, and when levels start to drop in our 30s, that’s when those fine lines start creeping up.
Collagen has been trending for years, but what makes it new for 2026 is the ability to pick up a refrigerated product in the dairy aisle that also provides benefits for your gut and bones. And since many of us have given up our nightly glass of wine, we’re missing out on the antioxidant-packed resveratrol in the fermented grape juice. New products help you reap the benefits of the anti-inflammatory compound without the buzz.
Sample the trend: Add a beauty boost to your day with a bowlful of whole grain cereal topped with collagen-infused kefir and fresh grapes.
Beef Tallow
If everything felt like it was “plant-based” in 2024, get ready for a total 180 next year. For the uninitiated, beef tallow is made by taking beef fat and melting it slowly, a process known as rendering (grandma may have kept a jar of rendered bacon fat in a jar on the counter). The rendered fat is then strained to remove any meat or other bits. This tallow can then be used as a high heat cooking fat for braising, sauteing, searing, frying and even baking. It lasts for up to a year or more.
For those scratching their heads over whether a saturated fat like beef tallow can be considered healthy, it helps to look at it through a different lens. While I don’t think my dietitian colleagues and I will be suggesting replacing your EVOO with tallow anytime soon, animal fats like this appeal to those looking for ancestral foods without preservatives and alternatives to those maligned seed oils like canola, sunflower, and safflower oil.
Sample the trend: Melt a tablespoon of beef tallow and drizzle it over popcorn for a savory twist.
Fiber Maxxing
You had to be hiding under a rock this year to not be clobbered over the head with messages about why you weren’t getting enough protein and how to fix the problem through shakes, bars, and cottage cheese everything. While protein isn’t going anywhere, fiber is poised to take over as the reigning nutrient to obsess over in 2026.
“Protein has dominated the nutrition spotlight for the past several years, but this year we watched fiber step in and become the powerhouse nutrient. The shift toward gut health and metabolic support opened the door for fiber-forward products,” says Colin Sapire, CEO and founder of Beast Health.
Sample the trend: While there are plenty of fiber powders and bars on the market, the best way to max your fiber intake is with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Aim for 25 to 35 grams per day to benefit your gut health and help you feel full naturally.
Fancy Butter
This trend started gaining momentum this year as consumers leaned into “small luxuries” as pick-me-ups during stressful times. “Butter is benefiting from the ‘return to real’ trend,” says Janet Helm, MS, RDN, a global food culture analyst and founder of Food at the Helm. “Butter signals simplicity, trusted and whole food minimalism, while tapping into nostalgia and the revival of home cooking and baking.”
Butter saw a spike in sales and is poised to continue its growth in 2026, with new flavors and formats. Just like consumers are clamoring for other fermented food, cultured butter, made from cream that has been fermented with live bacterial cultures before the churning step, is having a moment. And look for compound butters (with flavorful infusions like herbs or mushrooms in it) that help home cooks level up their dishes by adding just a tablespoon or two of the stuff. I made a pumpkin spice compound butter this fall that had me smiling every time I schmeared it over a warm English muffin.
Sample the trend: Elevate a simple weeknight pasta by tossing it with shrimp cooked in some smoked sea salt butter.
Creatine
As a registered dietitian, I’ve been aware of creatine for years as a supplement that body builders would take to build bigger muscles. It certainly wasn’t something that I considered taking myself or would recommend to clients. But emerging research on the multiple benefits of creatine are about to make this supplement as ubiquitous as your morning multi.
Creatine is a natural energy source that can improve your performance in the gym by replenishing ATP—what our cells use for energy. It’s especially beneficial for activities that require short bursts of power, like sprints and kettlebell swings. It can also help your body build muscle more efficiently. It’s not only the athletic gains that will push creatine into the limelight this coming year, but also its brain and skin health benefits. Our grey matter consumes a ton of energy, which is why we’re exhausted after a day that requires lots of thinking. Creatine can help with short-term memory, working memory (what you’re using as you read this), and the cognitive stress that occurs when you’re sleep deprived (adding cartons of the stuff to cart).
Sample the trend: If supplements aren’t your thing, you can still get the body and brain benefits of the stuff by adding more beef, fish, and pork to your diet. Chicken also has substantial amounts and so does milk. And if you’re more of a cheese gal like me, Parmesan will net you some as well.
Source link
11 Ways To Keep a Healthy Diet on a Frugal Budget
What Happens to Your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol When You Eat Eggs Every Day
Access Denied