What’s Driving Your Food Choices in 2026?
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What’s Driving Your Food Choices in 2026?
User responses 3,951,327
Survey Type Market Research
Audience All audiences
Top Insight
- Respondents chose their food based on taste over other characteristics.
- Respondents prefer real ingredients to other food trends.
- Word of mouth is the most popular form for discovering new food ideas or products among respondents.
1.
What do you want your food to do for you right now?
Insight
40%
More than average
respondents chose their food for its taste.
40.2%
I just want it to taste amazing
I just want it to taste amazing
40.17%
1,587,104
Support my health goals (e.g., metabolism, hormone balance)
21.62%
854,367
Give me energy or focus
20.1%
794,036
Feel comforting or familiar
15.33%
605,749
Help me express my identity
2.79%
110,071
2.
Which food trends are you most into this year?
Insight
4.1X
More than average
consumers prefer real ingredients and 'anti-fake' food than personalized meals.
36%
Real ingredients and “anti-fake” food
Real ingredients and “anti-fake” food
35.96%
557,397
Textural snacks (crunchy, gooey, layered)
32.58%
505,004
Local or regional flavors
17.69%
274,190
Personalized meals I can build myself
8.57%
132,802
Functional foods for wellness
5.21%
80,747
3.
How do you usually discover new food ideas or products?
Insight
2.3X
More than average
respondents associated discovering food ideas or products with word of mouth than with wellness influencers.
37.7%
Word of mouth
Word of mouth
37.71%
21,865
Social media (TikTok, Instagram)
37.6%
21,801
Health or wellness influencers
16.38%
9,498
Grocery store browsing
7.13%
4,133
Dining out
1.19%
692
4.
When it comes to food, which of these matters most to you right now?
Insight
58%
More than average
consumers chose food based on how it looks and feels.
58.5%
How it looks and feels (texture, presentation)
How it looks and feels (texture, presentation)
58.52%
2,242,918
How indulgent or comforting it feels
27.74%
1,063,238
Authenticity and transparency
6.98%
267,696
How it makes me feel physically
5.57%
213,448
How it fits my lifestyle or beliefs
1.18%
45,301
5.
What’s one thing you wish food brands better understood about you?
Insight
1.9X
More than average
respondents prefer that brands understand their interest in sustainability and real foods than their culture and personal food story.
27.1%
My interest in sustainability and real ingredients
My interest in sustainability and real ingredients
27.08%
41,836
My changing health needs
24.8%
38,319
My craving for variety and customization
24.73%
38,199
My culture and personal food story
13.98%
21,604
My desire to feel good, not just full
9.4%
14,524