With a new year comes new food trends, but thankfully many of our picks for next year involve getting back to real food. Here are the 2020 food trends we see on the horizon.
Ingredient lists vs nutrition facts
Ingredients reign supreme. Gone are the days of counting every calorie or prioritizing low fat, processed food over the real stuff. Move over 100 calorie packs! Thankfully, 2020 will bring with it a more mindful approach to food, one where ingredients & quality win out over the nutrition facts panel. When you focus on things like protein & healthy fats instead of calories, you’ll be satisfied & happier (plus, you’ll likely still lose weight). We’re on board with this one!
Victory for healthy fats
2020 is going to include a continued focus on mitochondria. More & more research is emerging about the importance of these “power plants” for your cells. They convert food & oxygen into energy to help you thrive. When your mitochondria aren’t functioning optimally, your energy will decrease (hello fatigue & brain fog) & you’ll also become vulnerable to autoimmune conditions, heart disease, diabetes & neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s. One of the best ways to optimize mitochondrial health (aside from eating a large variety of starchy & non-starchy veggies) is with healthy fats! Mitochondria love using fats (rather than carbs) for energy. Expect to see even more keto-friendly & high-fat convenience products hit the market in 2020.
Bone broth & collagen are still where it’s at
Both bone broth & collagen were huge trends in 2019 & we don’t see their popularity slowing down anytime soon. Bone broth is different than traditional stock because it involves a long simmer (24-48 hours) of bones, feet & other often unused animal parts. We know it may sound gross, but the end result is a super nutrient-dense broth that is rich in collagen, proline, glycine, glutamine & minerals like calcium, magnesium & phosphorous. Bone broth is helpful for improving digestion, allergies, immune health, dental health, & hair/skin/nails. For the benefits of collagen alone, you can also mix collagen peptides into your coffee, tea or smoothie. Bone broth & collagen are becoming increasingly easy to access, which is pretty cool in our book! At Snap, we’re big fans of both & make it a point to source only the best, so give Fond or Vital Proteins a try next time you stop in or place a digital order.
Non-caloric sweeteners
If you check the ingredients in the snack aisle these days, you’ll find that many products have some variety of non-caloric sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame have given way to stevia, monk fruit, erythritol & many others. Non-caloric sweeteners aren’t real food & tend to be quite processed. Additionally, they might negatively impact blood sugar & gut microbiome. They also trick your body & palate into believing it’s going to get a hit of sugar, leading to potential metabolic & physiological impacts. While these are fine to consume once in a while, lean on small amounts of whole food sweeteners like maple syrup & honey for your daily needs. Non-caloric sweeteners are a trend we want to leave in 2019!
The vegan diet
You’ve likely seen a big resurgence of the vegan movement recently, thanks to a few popular documentaries. The biggest benefit of a vegan diet is the removal of processed foods & the inclusion of more vegetables. But it’s hard to get all of the nutrients you need from plants alone. If you feel best eating vegan, keep going with it! But if you want to improve your health & continue eating animal products, cut out processed sugars & carbohydrates, & include more vegetables & healthy fats instead.
Green beauty & household products
This one isn’t necessarily food-related, but we had to include it. The personal care industry is not well regulated, with the average product containing endocrine disruptors & other harmful chemicals. Thankfully, the movement toward more natural alternatives is gaining steam, with everything from makeup to laundry detergent accounted for. We love brands like Branch Basics, Primally Pure, Cocokind, Tata Harper & more, for effective products that are better for the environment & your health!
Regenerative agriculture
This is the winner in our book. The “meat is bad” argument isn’t nearly the whole story. Evidence is mounting that well-managed, pasture-based dairy & 100% grass-fed animals can prevent & potentially reverse climate change. The trend toward properly raised animals will only increase in 2020, with more & more companies offering easy access to pasture-raised meats & dairy. Companies like Force of Nature meats, Pasturebird, ButcherBox & US Wellness Meats offer nationwide shipping for quality meat. There are always local farmers raising animals the right way, too. Head to Eat Wild or use Google to find farmers in your area. You can also find grass-fed ground beef & pasture-raised hard-boiled eggs at Snap. For more information about regenerative farming, check out The Savory Institute.
Health trends might sound a little, well, trendy, but they are there to point us in the direction of where positive life change happens. If you’re making a massive life change in the New Year, or just trying to stick to your resolutions, let Snap Kitchen be your partner in health and sign up for one of our meal plans today!
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2 Comments
Hi. Do you have any plans to include more lower cholesterol items? For example breakfast items with egg whites… I love snap kitchen but recently found out my body is sensitive to dietary cholesterol and many of your products are very high in cholesterol.
Hi Alexa, thank you for your question! We don’t have any plans currently for low cholesterol items, though some of our items are naturally lower in cholesterol, including our vegetarian and vegan items. Here’s a resource on cholesterol and heart disease for your reference!