Grocery shoppers prioritize value and affordability over foods that provide immunity, according to a survey of registered dietitians nutritionists.
of Annual survey “What’s Trending in Nutrition” by Pollock Communications and nutritionist today 70.4% of RDNs say affordable and value-based food will be the biggest driver for consumers in 2023, followed by easily available and convenient food (59.1%), and immunity third. We found that they expected it to be a supporting food (57.6%).
While the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the trend towards “food as medicine,” the rising cost of living is forcing consumers to shift their focus to value, the report says.
However, consumers are still conscious of their health, especially “superfoods” that promote gut health. In fact, fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, kombucha and pickles were predicted to be the number one superfoods consumers wanted in 2023.th Fermented foods ranked first for two consecutive years.
Other superfoods that RDN predicts will be in demand in 2023 include:
• Seeds such as chia and hemp
• blueberry
• Avocado
• Nuts such as pistachios, almonds and walnuts
Leafy greens such as spinach
• Aquatic vegetables such as algae, seaweed and nori
• Green Tea
•Ancient grains
• Dairy-free milk
Aquatic vegetables and dairy-free milk are new additions to this year’s top 10 list, while kale and exotic fruits drop out of the top 10.
In fact, plant-based diets continue to grow in popularity, with RDN ranking them the third most popular diet trend after intermittent fasting and the keto diet. Despite this, only 1% of the RDNs surveyed reported recommending highly processed meat alternatives.
RDN also predicted that consumers will continue to snack as much as they have in the past two years. The top three reasons consumers continue to snack are boredom (71.8%), comfort (71.8%) and working from home (67%).
“Consumers are more aware than ever of the benefits foods can provide for gut health and immune function.” Looking for affordable food and snacks that offer benefits. Our findings show that as COVID-19 restrictions ease, remote work continues and inflation rises, affordable food becomes a priority It reflects how consumer behavior is changing, from eating to a continued interest in snacking.
The report also highlights the amount of false and misleading nutrition information online and especially on social media. RDN cited Facebook, Instagram and TikTok as the main sources of misinformation, and also said social media influencers are the biggest platforms for spreading misinformation.
“Social media influencers are talking about health and nutrition at a faster rate than ever before, but people struggle to separate reliable information from myths. It just underscores the need to expand the authoritative sources of information about,” said Mara Honicker, publisher of Today’s Dietitian.
