If the past few years were about learning how to take better care of ourselves, 2026 is about doing it with more intention—and more joy. This is the year where wellness isn’t just optimized with health tech or fitness apps, but experienced through small, meaningful rituals that fit real life.
From gut health and calm energy to longevity and premium convenience, today’s consumers aren’t chasing perfection; they’re choosing balance, purpose, and sustainability in ways that actually feel actionable.
To uncover what’s shaping the healthy trends for the year ahead, we turned to the experts who help shape our assortment at Thrive Market every day: April Lane, Chief Merchandising Officer, and Becca Molloy, Owned Brands Principal. Together with our broader merchandising team, they analyzed product innovation, emerging ingredient demand, and evolving member behavior to identify the trends that aren’t just buzzy, but truly meaningful.
We left with a clearer picture of where wellness is heading next—and how our members are already bringing these shifts to life. With that in mind, here are the 10 trends that will define healthy living in 2026.
1. GLP-1-Friendly Eating & Metabolic Health
By 2026, GLP-1 medications that aid in weight loss will no longer be a niche conversation; they’ll be part of the broader wellness landscape. As access expands, nutrition habits are shifting toward nutrient-dense, protein-forward, fiber-rich foods that support metabolism without deprivation. Our team shared that more than one in eight Americans have already tried a GLP-1 medication or are currently using one, and with pricing becoming more accessible, that number is expected to grow.
In response, our nutrition and merchandising teams worked together to rethink what supportive eating looks like in this new landscape. Rather than focusing on restriction, the goal became making every bite count. That’s why they curated more than 1,000 products designed to deliver meaningful nutrition in smaller portions—products that prioritize protein and fiber first and are satisfying even when appetite changes. “It’s not that members are not eating,” Lane says. “It’s that they’re eating less throughout the day, so what they eat really counts.”
Shop the trend: Thrive Market’s GLP-1 Friendly Shopping Filter
2. The (Major) Crunch Factor
In 2026, texture will become just as important as flavor. Crunch has evolved from a casual preference into a full-on sensory experience, heightened by the dramatic sound effects on social media videos that make every bite look (and sound) completely crave-worthy. “Part of mindful eating is asking how foods can be more satisfying,” Molloy says.
Across categories, brands are leaning into crispier, cracklier formats—from cookies to crackers to plant-based chips—turning sound, texture, and bite into part of the flavor profile itself.
Shop the trend:
Daily Crunch Spouted Almonds, Cocoa & Sea Salt · That’s It Fruit Crunchables · Crunchsters Mung Beans · Harvest Snaps Loops · Pip’s Heirloom Snacks Crunchies · Fresh Bellies Freeze-Dried Fruit · Tosi Crunchy Snack Bars · Caulitos Nacho Chips · Root Foods Veggie Chips
3. The Rise of Calm Rituals
After years dominated by caffeine, hustle culture, and energy-first everything, 2026 signals a collective exhale. Consumers are intentionally carving out space for calm, especially in their evening routines. “We all live really busy lives,” Lane says. “People may have historically used a glass of wine to wind down; now they’re looking for replacements for that.”
This shift shows up across beverages and supplements alike. Rather than stimulating the nervous system, today’s functional ingredients (like magnesium, adaptogens, and calming mushrooms) are designed to help the body and mind settle. For many families, that calm also shows up in the bedtime routines they’re creating for their kids, with wind-down rituals for all ages in the home.
Shop the trend:
Brez Dream Tonic · Kin Euphorics Quiet Your Mind · Recess Mood Sticks Calming Magnesium Superblend · Mary Ruth’s Kids Magnesium Calm Gummies · Four Sigmatic Calm Organic Cacao
4. Gut Health Goes Holistic
Gut health in 2026 is no longer confined to a single capsule or daily probiotic. Instead, it’s becoming an integrated whole-body ecosystem that connects digestion, immunity, mood, and energy. Consumers are moving beyond single-benefit solutions and embracing formulations that combine multiple supports into one daily habit.
That’s why fiber-forward foods, fermented snacks, multi-strain probiotics, and gut-supportive beverages are appearing in unexpected places, from coffee to crackers to kids’ supplements. Gut health has become foundational, not supplemental.
Shop the trend:
Sports Research Colostrum · Beekeeper’s Naturals Complete Gut · BelliWelli Fiber + Probiotics · Four Sigmatic Gut Health Coffee · Wellmade Kids Probiotics · Gut Nuts Fermented Almonds · Jovial Sourdough Einkorn Crackers
5. Breakfast Is Back (And It’s Better Than Ever)
The “skip breakfast” era is officially over. In 2026, the morning meal is once again the anchor of the day. As people focus more intentionally on protein intake, they’re realizing that breakfast sets the nutritional tone for everything that follows. “If people are focused on getting enough protein in their diet, they realize they need to start with breakfast,” Lane says.
At the same time, breakfast is being reimagined through a nostalgic lens. “People are bringing back a modern version of what breakfast used to look like,” Lane says. Our team has seen a resurgence of childhood favorites rebuilt with modern nutrition standards: Think savory breakfast bakes, protein-packed smoothies, and freezer-friendly comfort foods that make mornings easier without feeling transactional.
Breakfast in 2026 is about both fuel and feeling.
Shop the trend:
Seven Sundays Oat Protein Cereal · Smash Foods Toasties · Rudi’s PB&J Sandos · Veggies Made Great Potato Bakes · Feel Good Foods Mini Pizza Bagels · Kodiak French Toast Sticks · Blake’s Breakfast Bars
6. Women Food & Wellness Entrepreneurs
By 2026, women-founded brands aren’t emerging—they’re shaping the industry. Our team has seen female founders finally receiving the broader recognition they’ve long deserved. “You’re seeing female founders in the spotlight because they’ve built billion-dollar brands,” Lane says. “They’re finally getting their credit.”
From pantry staples to supplements to baby formula, women entrepreneurs are bringing purpose, cultural roots, and innovation together, often solving the very problems they once faced themselves.
Shop the trend: Thrive Market’s Woman-Founded Business Shopping Filter
7. Combo Supplements & Functional Beverages
Efficiency defines wellness in 2026. Rather than stacking five separate products into a daily routine, consumers now want one formula that works harder. As our team explained, the era of single-function supplements is giving way to multi-benefit blends that deliver hydration, adaptogens, probiotics, antioxidants, electrolytes, and more—all at once. “It’s less about one singular function,” Lane says. “Now you’re seeing multiple benefits combined together.”
Even beverages are evolving into layered wellness tools: Hydration now supports gut health, matcha supports focus and calm, electrolytes pair with antioxidants for recovery. “People are trying to be as efficient as possible with whatever they’re choosing to drink,” Molloy says. In 2026, the line between supplement and beverage continues to blur.
Shop the trend:
Crunchy Wellness Water Hydration + Energy · All Phenoms Sparkling Super Drink · Thrive Market Organic Ceremonial Matcha · Ancient Nutrition Hormone Balance + Collagen · The Absorption Company Restore Supplement Sticks
8. Longevity & Healthy Aging
Longevity in 2026 isn’t about chasing youth, it’s about protecting vitality. Shoppers are thinking beyond short-term goals and investing in nutrition that supports mitochondrial health, muscle maintenance, cellular energy, and long-term resilience.
Healthy aging is no longer just for “older” adults—it’s a daily lifestyle strategy for every age.
Shop the trend:
Momentous Creatine · Blue Zones Kitchen · Codeage Liposomal NAD+ · Thorne ResveraCel · Codeage Liposomal Urolithin A · Codeage Liposomal NMN
9. Premium Convenience Takes Over the Freezer
In 2026, convenience doesn’t mean compromise; it means restaurant-quality meals with freezer-friendly ease. From dumplings to grain bowls to comfort classics, today’s frozen offerings deliver flavor-forward dining that’s just as good as takeout (and, in some cases, even made by your favorite restaurants!). Premium convenience now supports busy families, solo diners, and anyone who wants dinner to feel special without leaving the house.
Shop the freezer:
Laoban Ginger Chicken Dumplings · Daily Harvest Harvest Bowls · Kevin’s Thai-Style Coconut Chicken Bowls · Rao’s Lasagna · Roberta’s Sourdough Pizza · Beecher’s “World’s Best” Mac & Cheese
10. Conscious Impact: Sustainability Becomes Collective Care
Sustainability in 2026 moves beyond broad claims into measurable accountability. “Consumers are more attuned to greenwashing than ever before,” Lane says. “They’re really looking for brands and retailers that are truly authentic in their sustainability claims.” This means that brands and retailers now have to prove—not just promise—their impact.
Shoppers increasingly gravitate toward companies that prioritize carbon-neutral operations, recycled packaging, and regenerative sourcing. At Thrive Market specifically, sustainability has long been embedded into our merchandising decisions, from championing regenerative agriculture long before it was mainstream, to active efforts to reduce virgin plastic in packaging year over year.
In 2026, sustainability becomes a shared responsibility between brands, retailers, and consumers alike.
Shop the trend:
Plastic-Neutral Certified Products · Thrive Market Regeneratively Grown Breakfast Blend Coffee · Thrive Market Regeneratively Grown Dried Pineapple · Thrive Market Regeneratively Grown Hemp Hearts
Learn more: Our Sustainability Commitments · Thrive Gives Program