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Indulgent or Healthy? Consumers Want Both
CSSI Staff Post – February 12, 2021
Comfort food and functional food are two trends that gained popularity in 2020 and aren’t showing any signs of slowing down in 2021. While these two trends live in seeming opposition, there’s room for both at the table. In fact, one consumer may be interested in menu and retail items from both categories, as many people are seeking to strike a balance between indulgent and nutrition-forward foods.
Read on for additional insights into these trends, along with a few examples of how chains, independents, convenience stores and grocery stores are meeting consumer demands for both comfort food and functional food.
Comfort Food & Beverage
While we anticipated seeing a decline in comfort foods through 2020, many Americans ended up reaching for foods that brought them happiness (rather than physical wellness) to help soothe the woes caused by the pandemic. Regardless of gender, age or location, feel-good food became a top priority, giving nostalgic foods the biggest comeback of all time.
Comfort Food & Beverage Examples
At fast-casual chains:
- Despite always offering comfort food staples on its standard menu, Cracker Barrel rolled out menu enhancements that advertise "homestyle comfort." New offerings include chicken pot pie and carrot cake.
- Domino's upgraded its wing offerings in response to their surge in popularity. The wings have been "redesigned" to improve their taste and texture. Domino's has also expanded its variety of sauce offerings.
At convenience stores:
- 7-Eleven began offering various sliders, including a cheeseburger slider and a buffalo chicken slider in Southern California.
At independents:
- Au Courant Regional Kitchen in Omaha, Nebraska, began offering to-go meals featuring comfort food items based on the staff meals created back of house. Menu items include lasagna and brisket enchiladas.
- Another fine-dining establishment took part in comfort food meal kits in Chicago. Anybody in the Chicagoland area can pick up interpretations of coq au vin with mashed potatoes or beef Wellington curbside for $39.95 a serving, an astonishingly affordable price for the Alinea Group's usually high-price standard.
In retail:
- Sales of breakfast cereals, snack foods, pasta and ice cream have increased significantly since the beginning of 2020. Brands like Conagra and Kraft-Heinz have seen increases in demand for certain products from 50-100% from the same time last year.*
Americans clearly turned to food and nostalgia in a year of uncertainty. Brightly colored breakfast cereals, boxed mac & cheese and homemade lasagna powered people through a tough year. Many consumers say their eating habits will return to pre-pandemic health consciousness, but most admit that the occasional indulgence is there to stay in their weekly diets.
Functional Food & Beverage
In December 2019, many industry professionals forecasted a year of health and wellness in food trends. And then the pandemic hit, and we saw consumers abandon their 2020 diet aspirations to seek out foods of comfort. But as the year progressed, the scales shifted back toward the pre-pandemic trend of functional foods. Now, almost a year later, we see eaters trying to strike a balance between nostalgic comfort and functional wellness.
Functional Food & Beverage Examples
At fast-casual chains:
- Chipotle rolled out Lifestyle Bowls, which follow specialty diet restrictions like the Keto Bowl and the Whole30 Bowl.
- Carl's Jr. and Hardee's added Beyond Sausage sandwiches to the chain's breakfast menu, expanding their client base to vegetarians and flexitarians.
At convenience stores:
- 7-Eleven rolled out a Blood Orange Yuzu Sugar-Free Triton Energy Drink in November 2020. The beverage boasts a boost of energy and is advertised as "An Energy Drink for the Mind and Body." It contains caffeine and the amino acid L-theanine, both sourced from green tea leaves. It also has B vitamins, ginseng, taurine, guarana and amino acids.
In retail:
- Chickpeas can now be found in everything from pasta to pizza, cereals and snack bars. The bean is an easy solution to reduce refined carbohydrates found in everyday grocery store items.
- Healthy ready-to-heat meals are gaining popularity as many of us are still eating lunch at home. Items like Veggieful Veggie Bowls from Del Monte offer solutions for when you're feeling the effects of cooking fatigue. Healthy and convenient options have never been easier to come by.
Despite our cravings for everything comfort, American eaters are also broadly focused on living healthy lifestyles. We continue to seek convenient eating solutions that don't undo our hard work of avoiding refined sugars and carbs. While we indulge our cravings for the occasional treat, healthy and functional foods are primary items on our daily menus. We expect to continue seeing such offerings in foodservice and retail.
*Food & Wine. “Americans Are Turning to Comfort Foods Like Cereal, Snacks, and Ice Cream, Sales Show,” April 10, 2020.
Madison Parsons
Associate R&D Chef
March 1st, 2023 We’re thrilled to introduce the newest addition to our culinary family: Chef Steve Madonna. Formally trained in both Italy and the United States, as well as having worked for Wolfgang Puck, Chef Steve brings an extensive set of connections and culinary knowledge to our already stacked chef roster. Featured in this month’s issue is one of Chef Steve’s favorite recipes for making memories at home with your loved ones.
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