Fiber, global flavors and quick healthy meals will dominate 2026 food and health trends.Sensory drinks, natural dyes, skyr and beans rise as people seek gut, brain and overall wellness.Travel, exclusive launches and age-focused eating shape broader lifestyle and shopping habits.<\/p>\n
In 2025, EatingWell accurately predicted food and nutrition trends<\/a> like high-protein ingredients, tropical fruit, tea and weight-loss supplements. As the year comes to a close, we\u2019re looking ahead at what\u2019s in store for 2026\u2014and boy, do we have predictions. Spotlighting nutrients, health concerns and specific ingredients, we gathered 10 trends for the new year that you\u2019ll see everywhere.\n<\/p>\n Using our traffic data and industry trends, let\u2019s take a look at the picks we expect to take over grocery shelves, consumer habits and even your next vacation.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n 1. Fiber\u00a0 <\/p>\n We love protein, but it\u2019s time to share the spotlight. Prioritizing gut-healthy fiber is on the rise, and we think this is a trend that will only boom in 2026. This isn\u2019t just our prediction; Oatly\u2019s Future of Taste report shares the rise of high-fiber drinks (noting pageviews for articles mentioning the nutrient spiking 9500% from June to July this summer), and Whole Foods Market predicts fiber to be a focus for incoming products in the new year.\n<\/p>\n But this doesn\u2019t mean protein won\u2019t continue to receive some love. In fact, we think protein and fiber are most powerful together, providing a satisfying, nutritious bite when combined. Our readers think so too, which is why our most popular recipe of 2025 was High-Protein Blueberry & Peanut Butter Chia Pudding<\/a>, which is loaded with 17 grams of dietary fiber.\n<\/p>\n 2. Global Flavors <\/p>\n Dubai chocolate, matcha, Turkish pasta\u2026 there are too many international food trends in 2025 to count. And in 2026, we expect global flavors to be highlighted in traditional grocery stores instead of just specialty markets. Major brands are already preparing to expand their palates, with McCormick being a prime example as they just named their 2026 flavor of the year to be black currant, an ingredient most prominent in European cuisine.\n<\/p>\n This trend will be prominent on grocery shelves, and you can also embrace it in your own kitchen. Our award-winning Heritage Cooking<\/a> column spotlights family recipes from around the world, so bring more variety to the table and try out lunches and dinners like Ukrainian Cabbage Soup<\/a> or Spicy Tuna Salad<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n 3. Healthy in a Hurry <\/p>\n Now more than ever, people are looking for the intersection between nutritious and quick. This trend expands beyond the easy skillet dinner; It also shines light on how pantry staples and freezer favorites can be the centerpiece of a dish. And when it comes to recipes, made-ahead breakfasts will become your new favorite, especially overnight oats, chia pudding and parfaits that are packed with essential nutrients.\n<\/p>\n It\u2019s no wonder that overnight oats recipes<\/a> received 33% more engagement this year on our website, and content centered around canned soup and canned tuna were clicked on 16% and 50% more frequently (respectively) compared to last year. Whole Foods also touts \u201cinstant reimagined\u201d as a trend, highlighting tinned fish, instant espresso and pre-made protein bowls that transform the microwave meal into a more flavor-packed, healthy experience.\n<\/p>\n 4. Sensory Sips <\/p>\n We love drinks that make you feel good. But what about drinks that also just feel good? The rise of the multi-sensory sip is upon us. Think: pillowy cold foam atop a smooth iced brew, juices and lemonades that embrace the pulp, boba tea, perhaps the resurgence of whipped coffee<\/a>? Who\u2019s to say, but we predict that beverages in 2026 will expand beyond hydration and offer a more textured experience.\n<\/p>\n Drinks will go beyond mouthfeel, they already have. Some of our top recipes this year<\/a> include Orange-Carrot Turmeric Ginger Shots<\/a> and Frozen Lemon-Ginger-Turmeric Shots<\/a>, which provide an internal sensory experience with a *tingly* sensation. It\u2019s clear the next drink era will blur the line between flavor and feeling, and the possibilities are endless.\n<\/p>\n 5. Natural Food Dyes <\/p>\n In April 2025, the FDA announced its plan to phase out synthetic food dyes<\/a> like Red No. 40 and six others from the U.S. food supply in the coming years, with hopes of expediting this proposal on school meals in 2026. In the meantime, we\u2019re starting to see brands remove synthetic food dyes from packaged foods, from dye-free Cheetos and Doritos to Walmart eliminating food dye from their store brand products.\n<\/p>\n \u201cMore research is needed to clarify food dye\u2019s impact on long-term health. But regardless of how ultra-processed foods are colored, they are a food that should be consumed in moderation,\u201d our senior nutrition editor and registered dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD<\/a>, says. \u201cWhile some research has found food dyes might have a marginal impact on health, other components of these foods\u2014like their high sodium, added sugar and saturated fat contents\u2014are more strongly linked with negative health effects over time. Using a natural dye does not influence that.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n 6. Skyr <\/p>\n Cottage cheese is great and all, but there are other dairy sources of protein that are worth making the base of your breakfast. Skyr, an Icelandic cultured dairy product, is an underrated editor favorite that we\u2019re thinking will finally get the recognition it deserves next year.\n<\/p>\n It follows the trend of embracing simple ingredients, as skyr is simply cultured pasteurized skim milk with live active cultures. Plus, across all People Inc. brands (EatingWell is a part of People Inc.), audiences are consuming content spotlighting yogurt 15% more often this year compared to last year\u2014so we think skyr will be a hit due to its similar consistency and higher protein content when compared to yogurt. And EatingWell\u2019s readers specifically are interested in gut-healthy diets (+7%) and digestive health (+60%). Gut-healthy ingredients are key to a healthy microbiome, and skyr is a great place to start. Top the thick cultured dairy with berries and granola for a quick and easy breakfast.\n<\/p>\n 7. Wellness Travel <\/p>\n As you plan your next vacation, consider the food and wellness facilities in the area. We\u2019re expecting an uptick in travel that goes beyond the relaxing beach trip, and so is Airbnb. In their 2026 Travel Predictions report, the brand predicts travelers to prioritize cooking classes, winery tours and food-focused destinations in their itineraries.\n<\/p>\n Travel should be a form of self care, so a city\u2019s walkability, local hiking trails, spa options and food scene will become a more important factor in vacation planning, especially for younger generations.\n<\/p>\n 8. Longevity & Dementia Prevention Diets <\/p>\n Now more than ever, brain health and cognitive function are a priority for boomers and Gen X. Our audience has had a skyrocketing interest in healthy aging (content engagement is up 330% in 2025 compared to 2024), dementia (181%), Alzheimer\u2019s disease (121%) and neurocognitive disorders (a whopping 7654%).\n<\/p>\n There are ways to support your brain health through diet and exercise, and we\u2019re constantly covering the newest studies that focus on the best foods to prioritize for brain health.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cEating a diet packed with brain-supportive nutrients, such as the MIND diet, is a great starting place for staying sharp as you age. But it\u2019s really about your lifestyle as a whole,\u201d Ball explains. \u201cOn top of meeting your nutrient needs, things like staying active, challenging your brain with games or new hobbies, finding social support and regular checkups all support longevity and long-term health.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n 9. Exclusive Products <\/p>\n The age of exclusivity and the populist product\u2014a term described by Highsnobiety as \u201calgorithm-driven, fleeting and viral\u201d\u2014is here. Limited-time launches and blind boxes won\u2019t just be a fad that\u2019s transforming toy stores. We\u2019re also seeing it for kitchen products and food launches. Le Creuset blind boxes, Starbucks \u201cBearista\u201d cups, Stanley\u2019s limited-edition LoveShackFancy collection, buy-before-it\u2019s-gone Trader Joe\u2019s finds\u2026 this exclusivity trend has been brewing for quite some time, and with the rise of PopMart and mystery dumplings, it\u2019s bound to make its way into every industry, including food.\n<\/p>\n 10. Beans & Legumes <\/p>\n Pulses (beans and legumes) are having a moment, and it will only be elevated in 2026. Our readers are specifically loving cannellini beans (with 29% more interest in 2025) and lima beans, also known as butter beans (up 262%). Beans and legumes are so versatile, shelf-stable and nutrient-dense, keeping your gut and heart<\/a> as healthy as can be.\n<\/p>\n Embrace the pulses and have them for breakfast, lunch and dinner\u2014yes, really. Try a Berry-Coconut Smoothie<\/a> with blended-in red lentils in the morning, have a bean salad<\/a> in the afternoon and finish the day strong with a highly-rated Cheesy Chicken & White Bean Skillet<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fiber, global flavors and quick healthy meals will dominate 2026 food and health trends.Sensory drinks, natural dyes, skyr…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314461,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-314460","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314460"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314460\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}