Eating yogurt and prunes together is popular in Europe, both because it's a classic flavor pairing and also good for gut health.

Eating nutrient-dense foods has long been associated with healthy living. Yet now eating healthy is part of an even larger question around day-to-day wellbeing. We all want the answer to this question: “What do I eat to prevent myself from getting sick?”

In 2021 on the Baking&Snack podcast Since Sliced Bread, Sally Lyons-Wyatt, executive vice president and practice leader at IRI, singled out holistic health as a consumer trend from the pandemic that is here to stay. She defines “holistic health” as the quest to get enough sleep and exercise coupled with the drive to eat healthier foods. And some on this quest look for certain foods to boost their immunity.

Lyons-Wyatt also pointed out that vitamin claims on packages saw an increase in sales. Some people gained weight in 2020, so foods aligned with specific diets also continue to gain ground this year.

For R&D professionals and food companies, this means taking a look at every ingredient to see if any also offer health-boosting attributes. If so, it could be worth calling it out on a package. It also is a good time to look for ingredients with cross-functional benefits, such as adding fiber and color at the same time.

What does this mean for flavor? According to Innova, one of the top 5 flavor trends of the year is fruity flavors because fruit flavors are closely linked to immunity and health in consumers’ minds.