These 6 food trends will be huge in 2025 – and a few might surprise you
In 2024, we saw everything from tadpole water and glucose monitoring, plant points to collagen-infused beauty bars. And, yes, we were still searching for the best magnesium supplements – mainly thanks to the popularity of the #sleepygirlmocktail – and whether Lion's mane mushroom supplements are actually good for us.
Brands such as Bold Bean Co revolutionised the way we cook, eat and think about pulses, while personalised nutrition and the growing awareness of ultra-processed foods in our diets has seen many of us ditching anything processed (low fat or high in artificial sweeteners) and embracing a much simpler approach to food.
Searches for bone broth were up, as they were for pickle juice and cucumber salads. And celebrity booze brands continued to grow – from Kylie Minogue’s rosé to Margot Robbie’s Papa Salt Gin and Blake Lively's Betty Booze cocktails.
So, where can we expect foodie wellness trends to take us in 2025?
These food trends will be huge in 2025
1. Brain food
Last year, the UK's first ‘brain food’ menu for schools — aimed at giving pupils the best chance to get the most out of their day, mentally and physically — was launched by Gloucestershire-based company, Creed Foodservice. And, according to Holland & Barretts’ Wellness Trends Report 2025, prioritising our brain health is going nowhere in 2025.
‘In 2024 we have globally recognised the demand for products that support brain health and are seeing a high increase in supplements in this category,’ says Rachel Chatterton, Director of Product Global at Holland & Barrett.
In fact, earlier this month, M&S launched a new brain food range – including nutrient-packed snacks, cereals and store cupboard staples – which champion the top six brain health-supporting nutrients that many of us lack in our diets.
Expect to see a rise in products fortified with brain-healthy ingredients like omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, choline and nootropics – all designed to boost brain health.
2. Fibre's turn in the spotlight
In a similar way to how protein branched out into bars, drinks and shakes, we’re now seeing fibre (often the unsung hero in nutrition) follow in its footsteps.
Most of us know that eating the recommended daily intake of 30 grams through fruit, veg and wholegrains is wise (fibre is key for supporting gut health), yet most of us are eating less than 20 grams.
Cue the arrival of an increasing number of products flagging their fibre content: from water brands launching fibre-infused sparkling water containing chicory root to Holland & Barrett introducing new H&B Muesli ‘with Benefits’, which is high in fibre and packed with the added benefits of magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin C.
Even healthy recipe box services like Green Chef are putting fibre firmly on the agenda by launching new fibre-focused recipe collections (think: recipe boxes with added fermented foods, like kimchi and kefir), to help Brits embrace the growing trend around increasing fibre intake.
3. Gut health is going nowhere
If you're still wrapping your head around the gut-brain axis, our apologies, but those in the business of biomes have a new fixation: the gut-muscle connection. Sparked by studies suggesting that specific microbiomes can boost the brain's desire to exercise, that probiotics can fight fatigue and prebiotics can increase both muscle mass and strength, products designed to target the gut-muscle axis are hitting the market faster than a probiotic-powered sprinter.
After launching in the US in July, V Nella from Fitbiomics is due to hit UK shelves in 2025. The supplement leverages the properties of Veillonella bacteria, which was discovered during a study at Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering that analysed the microbiomes (read: faecal matter) of elite endurance athletes.
Veillonella's USP is its ability to break down lactic acid – a byproduct of anaerobic exercise and the chemical behind the dreaded DOMS – and convert it into short-chain fatty acids. The promise? Less fatigue – and better endurance.
Meanwhile, over in the protein powder aisle, multifunction formulas are going mainstream, with products that seek to target both microbiomes and muscles in one fell swoop (and scoop). Our gut feeling? This trend is going nowhere.
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4. Chaos cakes
Pristine icing and perfect piping are ‘soooo yesterday’ according to Pinterest Predicts 2025 – who are encouraging bakers to ditch their usual flawless aesthetics and welcome in a little chaos, at least, when it comes to cakes.
‘In 2025, Boomers and Gen X go all in on silly cakes, funny cakes and rat cakes (yes, that’s a thing). These sweet treats are unafraid to be brutally themselves. And the wackier, the better!’ says the trend report.
With searches for terms like ‘rat cake’ up by 170%, and ‘silly cake’ searches up 115%, perhaps 2025 is the year to embrace cakes that spark joy (not perfection).
5. Functional bevs
2025 is set to be the year we try drinking our way to wellness. With the functional beverages market predicted to reach $200bn by 2030, more of us are looking for drinks (in dreamy-looking cans, in sherbet and pastel hues, of course), with added health benefits – whether that’s to improve our performance in the gym, gut health, cognition, holistic well-being, relaxation or hydration.
If you’ve got no idea what we’re talking about, functional drinks are essentially sparkling waters, tonics and teas infused with a long list of wellness ingredients and buzzwords, like hemp and amino acids.
Stress-reducing beverages include everything from canned CBD-infused drinks (like TRIP), to natural energy drinks, adaptogen drinks (think: Kin Euphorics, cofounded by Bella Hadid), fermented and gut-friendly drinks, protein drinks (including, Vitamin Well), bone broth and plant-based milk. Basically, anything with added vitamins and minerals or electrolytes counts.
And it’s not just cold drinks either. According to Holland & Barrett's Wellness Trends Report 2025, functional tea is predicted to be worth $12.2 bn by 2032. ‘Fueled by Gen-Z who are embracing self care, the market is being driven towards functional tea that promises exciting flavours and health-promoting benefits that are backed by modern science,’ it says.
6. Back to basics
The cost of living crisis has continued to affect our weekly food shop in 2024 – a couple of years ago, you could buy a two-litre bottle of supermarket olive oil for about £7. Now, that same bottle will set you back more than £16. But money isn’t the only reason many of us are going back to basics. Our growing awareness of ultra-processed foods (and the impact they have on our health), thanks in no small part to Dr Chris van Tulleken’s bestselling book Ultra-Processed People, is impacting our supermarket choices more than ever before.
According to Waitrose’s latest food and drink report, our concerns around ultra-processed foods have led to an aversion to anything processed. This is backed up by their annual survey – in which they spoke to a panel of 3,239 customers back in October, and found that 54% of people are now proactively avoiding processed foods.
‘There’s been a lot of bad press around so-called “healthy” products which aren’t nutritious and don’t taste great,’ says director of Waitrose's own brand Maddy Wilson. ‘The growing awareness of UPFs in our diets has seen many customers going back to basics and embracing a much simpler approach to their diet.’
In fact, according to Waitrose, whole milk and full-fat Greek yoghurt sales are up 11% and 21% compared to skimmed milk and Greek-style yoghurt a year ago, while block butter is up 20% compared to dairy spreads.
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