The Top Healthy Trends for 2024

While the basic tenets always stay the same — namely, eating fresh, whole foods, drinking lots of water, and prioritizing movement each day — there’s always something new to learn about healthy living. Luckily, many of our team members at Thrive Market are experts on the subject, so when we set out to learn which food and wellness trends will be booming in 2024, we knew exactly who to ask. 

Meet Our Trends Panel 

To get the inside information on the top healthy living trends for 2024, we assembled a panel of our own Thrive Market employees to discover what they’ve seen trending in food and wellness — and what’s about to take over in 2024. The panel consists of: 

• Our Merchandising Team, whose job is to find the best organic and sustainable brands to add to the Thrive Market catalog
• Our Product Innovators, who develop the healthy and affordable food and wellness products made by Thrive Market 
• Our Public Relations Team, to get an inside look into which trends are seeing the most buzz across social media and other media outlets
• Our Paid Social Team, to get an idea of what our followers and members are responding to most in Thrive Market advertising   

Want to learn which healthy trends are on the rise? From healthier takes on your favorite nostalgic snacks to legume-based pastas and protein for the whole family, here’s what our team predicts will be trending in 2024. 

Trend #1: Convenient, low-effort meals and meal kits that still feel like cooking at home 

“There was a moment during Covid when people were willing to cook more,” says James Ren, Director of Merchandising for Branded Food. “Then, it kind of evolved into still wanting to cook, but they didn’t want to do all the steps. They wanted a shortcut to get there.”

Throughout the past couple years, our team has seen members carry with them a desire to cook at home — though it’s now combined with busy schedules, lack of time, and higher-than-ever grocery prices. Rather than revert back to boxed dinners and unhealthy microwavable meals, we’ve seen a number of new brands that make it easier than ever to cook a meal at home. “I’ve been talking to several brands that have quick solutions that still feel real, versus just highly processed,” says Caleb Hulsey, Senior Category Manager. “People want to feel like they’re making their meal, but they don’t have an hour every evening to do it, so they still want that quick solution, especially in the office or whatnot.”

From pre-prepped ingredients to heat-and-eat meals, these convenient, low-effort meals will make your weeknight dinners delicious, healthy, and simple to prepare. “It’s that idea of a TV dinner like we had as kids, or just something you can microwave, but the ingredients are cleaner, the macros are better,” says Ren.

Try: Kevin’s Natural Foods Lemon Garlic Chicken Penne, Amy’s Dairy Free Vegetable Lasagna, TRIBALI Foods Lemongrass Basil Chicken 

Trend #2: Nostalgic snacks are back 

Think of the snacks you loved as a kid: gummy candies, colorful cereals, cheesy, crunchy snacks, fizzy canned sodas. These dated snacks likely wouldn’t make it onto any health food lists today, but one trend our team is predicting for 2024 is a cleaner, healthier category of nostalgic snacks. 

“It’s wild how much nostalgia is driving snacks!” says Heather Brand, Senior Category Manager for Frozen Foods. “I love my fruit snacks, but with simpler ingredient decks. Just going back to all that, because it’s fun. Millennials love nostalgia.”

“We’ve done a few ads where that’s literally the whole theme of the ad: adults eating junk food from when they were kids,” says Andrea Peterson Whelan, Design Manager for Digital and Social. “Showing Giggles, Chewy’s, Good Crisps, all healthy swaps for nostalgic snacks.” 

Even the packaging has started to shift toward nostalgia. “A lot of the [brands with] minimal packaging that we’ve been seeing for years now, they’re starting to go into bright, bold colors, fun fonts, plays with 70s and 90s kind of looks,” Ren says. “It’s much more fun to look at, and it’s really cool.”

Try: Seven Sundays Oat Protein Cereal, Simply Honey, Yum Earth Gummy Bears, The Good Crisp Company Classic Original

Trend #3: Whole food eating — not restrictive diets

While keto and paleo diets once reigned supreme, our team has noticed that members are becoming more interested in whole foods and intuitive eating than these types of restrictive eating styles. In 2024, they predict that people will become even more interested in eating for longevity, primarily by seeking out unprocessed foods to create a well-rounded diet. 

“A strict adherence to diets is not really in the mainstream anymore. Eating is more flexible,” says Ren. “Now it’s tied more to not just eating for health physically, but also eating for health mentally. I think the sentiment is around food being something that’s nourishing, enjoyable, and tastes good. It’s less about the restriction that comes from following specific diets.” 

Aside from eating to feel good, many people are also now eating for longevity, likely in part because of the rising popularity of so-called “Blue Zones”, which are areas where significant numbers of people live to 100 years old. “There’s definitely a new interest in Blue Zones,” says Brand. “It’s kind of a new take on Mediterranean and Paleo diets, and rebranding some of those older diets that we’ve been seeing.”

Try: Thrive Market Wild-Caught Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, Bragg Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Poshi Mediterranean Three Bean Salad, Thrive Market Organic Kalamata & Green Olive Mix

Trend #4: Protein for people of all ages

There was a time when only serious weight lifters or athletes prioritized protein, but in reality, protein is essential for all people, regardless of lifestyle. Even young children need protein in their diets, and our team mentions that many kids’ and baby food brands have started to make a point of noting the protein content in their meals and snacks. 

“Protein is definitely a big focus in terms of macronutrients,” Ren says. “Across all categories, I think people are really starting to recognize the importance of it.”

Try: The New Primal Chicken & Maple Snack Mates Sticks, Serenity Kids Dairy Free Smoothie + Protein, Berry Butternut, Simple Mills Protein Almond Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix

Trend #5: Baked goods with real sugar instead of sugar alternatives 

For many years, when restrictive diets were gaining popularity, sugar-free baked goods were necessary for those who wanted to enjoy dessert on a paleo or keto diet. While alternative sweeteners like monk fruit and agave are still quite popular, the team has noticed a return to real sugar. 

“There’s been a huge decline in erythritol, stevia, and any of those alternative sweeteners,” Ren says. “In their place are maple syrup, honey, even organic cane sugar, to a degree. People still recognize that sugar isn’t the best thing for you, but they’re more willing to eat what is seen as a more natural source than the alternative sweeteners.” 

Try: Thrive Market Organic Cane Sugar, Miss Jones Organic Chocolate Cake Mix, Renewal Mill Upcycled Cake & Cupcake Mix

Trend #6: The next phase of non-alcoholic beverages 

The non-alcoholic category has been booming for a few years now, but 2024 will likely welcome a whole new wave of elevated beverages to replace the usual beer, wine, and cocktails. From functional beverages infused with things like adaptogens and mushrooms to nearly unmistakable dupes for your finest bubbly, these new-and-improved zero-proof beverages will only expand upon the category.

Aside from non-alcoholic beverages you can enjoy at home, be on the lookout for non-alcoholic spirits at stores, bars, and restaurants. Hulsey, who currently lives in Australia, frequently sees spirit-free beverage stores; Alyssa Kluge, Communications Director, mentions New Bar, a popular non-alcoholic bar in her Santa Monica neighborhood of Los Angeles. 

Try: Kin Euphorics Functional Beverage 4-Pack, Surely Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rose, Proxies Non-Alcoholic Wine Alternative, Red Clay, Hop Water Sparkling Hop Water 

Trend #7: Legumes everywhere (and in everything!) 

Thanks to their impressive nutrient profile, affordability, and adaptability, our team predicts that legumes are about to pop up in a lot of new and unexpected food formats. “We have legume-based soups, meals, and side dishes, and I’m launching legume rice and legume couscous coming up, which is very cool,” Lisa Schilling, Senior Product Innovator for Food.

While a bowl of beans and rice or a classic chickpea curry are old favorites, expect to see legumes in the form of snack packs, grain alternatives, pastas, and even in baked goods. “You can really hide chickpeas in anything,” says Brand. While some legumes have been slower to catch on (the team notes that lupini beans didn’t quite see the success they expected), other types continue to grow and expand in popularity and versatility. “One ingredient that I’ve been really looking at is lentils,” says Hulsey. “They’re protein-packed, they have lots of fiber, they’re filling, they’re very simple. They actually tick a number of the current trends.”
Try: Thrive Market Organic Green Lentil Dal, Kaizen Low Carb Cavatappi, Jack’s Quality Organic Garbanzo Beans, Hippeas Chickpea Puffs Vegan White Cheddar