The most significant dietary trends of 2021

The year 2020 brought with it difficult circumstances and changes for many people all around the globe, and these have led to drastic changes to our everyday habits and behaviours.
Our priorities, too, have changed. Many people are focusing more on their health and well-being, including on what they eat. As a consequence, their dietary and health culture has also changed and their consumption of meat-substitute products, that is to say vegetarian and vegan products, has increased.
This year we are seeing clearly how these changes are coming into effect.
Miszek Damer, ecothrophologist and founder of “thebluzone”, has compiled a list of the eight most significant food and dietary trends.

1. Functional diet
2. Food with a purpose
3. Climatarian
4. The happy medium, also known as “flexitarian”
5. Redesigning the dietary culture
6. Convenience
7. Transparency
8. Feeding the family

You can find details of all these trends on the www.thebluzone.de website – we would like to cover a few points in more detail here.

3. Climatarian

Based on the benefits of localism, it is anticipated that dietary habits will become more environmentally friendly, and focus on more sustainable foodstuffs.
Instead of opting for one of the two ends of the dietary spectrum (i.e. vegan or meat eater), many people will focus on foods that have the lowest impact on the climate.
For example, their diet might involve a lower consumption of animal products, although they do not stop eating meat completely. Consumers may, for example, choose animal products with a lower ecological footprint, e.g. by swapping beef for chicken, or by eating a few meat-free, purely plant-based meals every week.
Consumers may also choose to buy locally-grown produce and animal products, so as to reduce carbon dioxide emissions generated by transporting foodstuffs over long distances.
A climatarian diet is not an all-or-nothing approach, but rather a matter of making small changes which, when added together, make a big difference for society.

4. The happy medium, also known as “flexitarian”

The times of extremes are, for many people, in the past. A big shift towards the centre is anticipated. To convince a meat eater to stop eating meat completely and go vegan is a major feat, but it might perhaps be easier to meet them somewhere in the middle.
So, instead of trying to convince omnivores to give up eating meat and animal products entirely, it might be possible to persuade them to start off by reducing the amount of animal products that they eat. Significantly, up to 60% of millennials are interested in converting to a flexitarian diet.
Consumers might try to swap a couple of meat-based meals each week for meat-free, purely plant-based meals. Or they could reduce the quantity of animal products in their recipes and substitute them with more plant-based ingredients.
Companies are still going to advertise pure animal products, but at the same time they will develop products containing a higher proportion of plant-based ingredients and a lower proportion of animal-based ones, thus helping consumers to strike a balance.

7. Transparency

Many people are tired of misleading, incorrect or unclear information on food and diet.
Manufacturers of foods and supplements have, in the past, kept information on their ingredients and production processes a closely-guarded secret. In addition, many of them make health claims which are backed by little or no scientific evidence.
As consumers pay increasingly closer attention to the nutritional quality of the food they eat, companies are increasingly expected to provide clear, transparent and honest information about their products.
They want to take advantage of this trend by offering short, clear lists of ingredients, and avoiding the use of controversial ingredients such as artificial colourings and flavourings.
What is more, many consumers will ensure that they support companies whose practices are philanthropic; that is, those which, for example, donate a proportion of the proceeds from the sales of their products, which support educational opportunities for their employees, or which protect the environment.

8. Feeding the family

Many adults are not only concerned about enhancing their own diet, but also about finding healthier food and supplements, for example meat-substitute products, for the whole family.
Since, during the pandemic, an increasing number of children are attending school virtually and are spending more time at home, parents now have to prepare lunch for them instead of being able to leave it up to the school canteen.
In order to improve their family’s health, many parents will be looking for products that their children enjoy, but are still nutritious. Apart from that, amid growing concerns about high levels of sugar and artificial ingredients, they will be seeking out products made from more natural ingredients.
Food supplements for children can also be used as additional protection to support their immune system and prevent nutritional deficiencies, particularly for children who are fussy eaters.
Finally, we can anticipate an increase in plant-based food options for children to strengthen their health and well-being. Many parents hope that as a result their children will learn sustainable, healthy eating habits that they can put into practice for their entire lifetime.

Looking at these points, we feel more than justified in having founded The Plantly Butchers and started our first brand, Billie Green.