Did you know that every fall Whole Foods Market releases its upcoming beverage and food trends report for the following year? (You can check out the 2023 trends right here). Last month, we shared some of our favorite natural sweeteners. This month, here's another trend we love, throwback foods and snacks with a more mindful twist.
Whether it is a bowl of boxed mac and cheese, cereal, or microwaveable pizza bites, we all have a hankering for those childhood favorites every now and then and brands are taking notice except this time they are incorporating a modern twist making them more appealing to your refined adult palette.
Retro remixes of beverages and snacks from childhood are now getting a full-blown makeover for the now grown-up wellness-conscious consumer. The final result? The ultimate mashup of throwbacks of your favorite foods, indulgences, and other sweets and treats that have been made with better-for-you ingredients that are now more mindful.
Here are some throwback foods and snack trends we are enjoying right now.
#1 Bite-Sized Favorites
One of the best parts about rushing home after the school day was over was being able to head home and head straight to the kitchen where you could pop a snack into the microwave and dive in with all of your friends. Whether you enjoyed bite-sized bagel bites, mac and cheese, or pizza poopers, bite-sized just made snack time way more fun, and brands are recognizing that which is why many of them are now starting to make more mindful bite-sized snacks. From gluten-free options to real food ingredients, microwaveable bite-sized snacks are making a major comeback. Photo credit: EzumeImages
#2 Cereal
For many of us, cereal was a thing of the past because let’s be honest, who really has time to pour a bowl, grab a spoon, sit down, and eat? (Not us). However, with the new cereal selections brands are offering, you may want to pause and take a bite out of this food trend - literally. Made with less sugar and more good stuff, like plant-based protein, the cereal aisle is getting a major makeover and we are all for it. Now, someone pass us a spoon, please! Photo credit: Magone
#3 Granola
Granola balls, bars, and bites are not anything new, but brands are kicking it up a notch with fun flavors like It's Nola's CEO and Founder is doing. We have been offering fun flavors since day one, so I guess you could pretty much consider us a trendsetter! Check out our fun flavors like Dark Decadent Chewy Chocolate, Luscious Cranberry Coconut, Sassy Mango Salsa, and Scrumptious Strawberry and Banana.
#4 Ice Cream
I scream, you scream, we will scream, for ice cream! Well, dairy-free ice cream that is. With more shoppers avoiding dairy these days, brands have channeled their culinary creativity and are coming up with fun new ice cream alternatives made with plant-based milk like almond milk and oat milk. Who says you cannot have your ice cream and eat it too? Photo credit: Anna Makarenkova
#5 Mac and Cheese
Boxes of mac and cheese are starting to pack a punch into their noodles. From prebiotics to protein, brands are steering away from artificial ingredients, flavors, and preservatives. Instead, companies are opting to use real cheese in their recipes making them unbelievably delicious. Photo credit: Mariha-kitchen
#6 Soda
Whether you call it pop, soda, or soda pop, chances are you may have been trying to stay away from this can of childhood classic nostalgia, however, brands are now creating more mindful beverages like prebiotic soda. Infused with apple cider vinegar (ACV), prebiotic soda delivers a punch of benefits including improved digestion, promotion of weight loss, refined complexion, and strengthened immunity - just to name a few. Sip, sip, hooray! Photo credit: taka4332
#7 Stuffed Cookies
Growing up, you may have enjoyed a classic cookie that paired perfectly with an ice-cold glass of milk. It was iconic and made for dunking, but nowadays, brands are swapping out the sugar-laden creamy frosting centers with more mindful options made from nut butters including cashew butter and peanut butter. As if cookies could get any better, they can! Photo credit: ivan canavera
Take Throwback Thursdays to a whole new level with these childhood favorites you can now rediscover and enjoy as an adult. Happy snacking everyone!
- Stay Healthy and Happy
Need some more throwback recipes that take you back to your favorite childhood recipes you loved growing up? Check out @Mbveganvegetarianshare. Do not worry, even if you are not vegan, you will still enjoy these dishes.
Tag us @itsnolasnacks so we can see all of your favorite throwback foods, recipes, and snacks.
