FOOD AND HEALTH TRENDS:
WHAT TO EAT IN 2024
We’ve gazed into our culinary crystal ball to unearth the food and health trends getting us talking this year, according to M&S chefs, product developers and experts
Go with your gut
Gut health is the latest hot topic in healthy eating, and this year, it’s set to go stratospheric. The gut plays an important role in several key functions of the body, including your immune system and metabolism.
“The precise mix of microbes in your gut directly influences your health,” says Professor Tim Spector, an author, scientist and co-founder of personalised nutrition science company ZOE. “In a healthy gut, the ratio of ‘good’ to ‘bad’ bacteria is key.” This January, we’ve worked with Tim and ZOE to launch the revolutionary new M&S Food X ZOE gut shot, which is packed with over 5 billion friendly bacteria from 14 different strains.
A nod to nostalgia
Appetites for new takes on comforting, familiar dishes soared last year – our chocolate-covered custard creams became our best-selling biscuit in just two weeks, while our pie and mash and slow-cooked Dine In menus were instant hits. Plus, our online afternoon tea gifts were huge hits with shoppers looking for a modern spin on traditional British treats.
Look out for an extra helping of nostalgia this year, from pies and puds to twists on comfort-food classics, and watch this space for the return of one of our most-requested delisted retro products in the confectionery aisle.
All about protein
High-protein eating has gone mainstream, with more of us than ever conscious of getting enough into our diet. “Protein is an important macronutrient that’s essential for the growth and repair of the body and for giving us energy, as well as helping our muscles repair after exercise,” says M&S senior nutritionist Sophia Linn.
We’ve launched a range of high-protein products this year, from flavour-packed, freshly prepared Eat Well meals (hello, high-protein pasta and meatballs) to creamy yogurts, innovative snacks – like our chilli cheese clouds – and more. Our new high-protein bagels, meanwhile, were an instant Instagram hit, reaching 318,000 people. Check out the exact protein content of each product on the front of the pack.
Mega food mashups
From our trifle caked Alaska and salt and vinegar mayo to chicken tikka pie, burger spring rolls and katsu curry fish cakes, food mashups were some of our most-loved products last year. Meanwhile, recipes for lasagne soup, hamburger tacos and cacio e pepe chickpeas were trending on social media. We see the trend set to continue into 2024 with even more unexpected (but genius) flavour combinations.
Not just for Dry January
Our low and no-alcohol ranges have continued to grow in popularity, with more than 30 options now in the Foodhall. The game-changing ranges took our product developers a year to perfect, using innovative techniques to ensure they deliver on flavour.
The spirits used in our new low-alcohol cans, for example, are made from carefully balanced botanicals and distilled in proper copper pots. Expect ‘NOLO’ drinks to get clever next year, with functional benefits (we recently launched vitamin waters and a range of teas fortified with vitamins) and unusual botanicals.
Looking for a low-alcohol gift? Go for our distilled botanical spirit and tonic gift box, available online – they’ll get a bottle of our low-alcohol lemon and rosemary botanical, elderflower tonic and a Collection sweet rosemary and Maldon salt nut selection.
Regenerative farming
The importance of soil health is a hot topic in sustainability right now. We were the first national retailer to use flour by Wildfarmed, an innovative farming co-operative who encourage growers to embrace regenerative farming practices. This helps to improve biodiversity and soil conditions, which removes carbon from the atmosphere. We use Wildfarmed flour in our Collection sourdough and a range of sliced loaves available in the Foodhall.
Words: Heather Taylor
