Traditionally, organic food and healthy, grass-fed beef was seen as available only to the privileged few. Nowadays, consumers are demanding grass-fed beef for reasons like better animal welfare, environmental considerations, as well as other advantages, including lower saturated fats, and higher Omega 3 oils. Sustainable, naturally sourced food has never been easier to incorporate into your diet, whether you’re a millennial or not.
Who are Millennials?
The millennial generation, or those of us born since 1982, have overtaken the baby boomers and now comprise more than one quarter of the US population – 83.1 million in 2015 according to the US Census. It’s estimated that by 2020 one in three adults will be a millennial. Many of these will have grown up eating organic food, have traveled overseas and been exposed to a variety of cuisines and flavors. This leads one to conclude that they are well-informed about healthy choices and demand quality food, with no additives or preservatives. Subsequently, the organic food industry is growing quickly in the US, which is great news for all who opt to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy Food Trends
Organic fast food restaurants are now opening across the country. One organic-focused burger chain noted it appealed particularly to women – a far higher percentage of its customers were female when compared to the national average for fast-food retailers. The way food is purchased is changing too. In 2014, the number of shoppers purchasing organic food, online, including red meat, doubled. Over half of us have a shopping app on our mobile device and these customers are more likely to be millennials or women. Businesses are springing up supplying meals in convenient kit form, and these are more and more likely to emphasize organic products.
Meat and Veg
According to a study in ‘Public Health Nutrition’, meat consumption in the US is rising, in tandem with the rest of the world. Red meat comprises the largest portion of the meat on our plates, at 58%. The value of protein is increasingly recognized, as borne out by the popularity of the paleo diet, but consumers are looking for quality protein, free from hormones and antibiotics and ethically produced. In one study by Mintel, two in five US Millennials stated they did not trust large food manufacturers, and a whopping 59% would stop buying that brand if they believed it was unethical.
The future of food appears to be headed towards wholesome, healthier, stress-free meals. Happily, these days it’s becoming easier to obtain natural, additive free foods with minimum fuss.
Meet The Author:
After taking a career sabbatical to become a mother, Jackie now writes full time on topics ranging from health and wellness, right through to news and current affairs. She has, in the past battled problems with anxiety and panic, and in her spare time she volunteers for a number of local charities that support people with mental health issues.
