Survey data published in the report reveal that as of 2018, in terms of the three main meals, a far higher share of adults consider breakfast to be the most important meal of the day compared with lunch or dinner.

The prototypes represent a mix of foods and beverages that support three major shifts in global consumer eating behavior: plant-based protein, sugar reduction, and clean and simple labels. 

Generation Z, or those under 25, spent a relatively equal amount on food at-home vs. away-from-home, while that gap widened in older generations.

“The role of snack food is changing in different ways in reaction to Americans’ desire for balance, portable snack foods, and holistic wellness,” says David Portalatin, NPD food industry advisor and author of Eating Patterns in America.

The research, conducted with HealthFocus® International, highlights the significant market opportunity in plant-based food and the connection to many of the important trends shaping the American diet.

Innova Market Insights continuously analyzes global developments in food and beverage launch activity and consumer research to highlight the trends most likely to impact the industry over the coming year and beyond.

Marketers have an opportunity to bridge the hot and cold cereal generation gap, as demonstrated by the explosion in popularity of overnight oats.

With the erosion of three squares a day and without a clear distinction between light meals and heavy snacks, the percent of US adults who agree that breakfast is the most important meal a day has notched down somewhat from 57% in 2007 to 52% in 2017, according to data published in Breakfast and Breakfast Foods All Day: Culinary Trend Tracking Series. Even so, breakfast still beats the pancakes out of lunch (18%) or dinner (19%) by this measure.

The heaviest users of plant-based foods are those who are more likely to be on a diet or to have a medical condition, and consumers who tend to think of food as fuel, are more convenience-oriented than others and less confident in their cooking skills. One of the fastest growing consumer segments who eat plant-based foods are those who are all about the taste of foods.    

The top eating pattern cited was intermittent fasting (10%). Diets considered at least somewhat restrictive of carbohydrates were well-represented, including Paleo (7%), low-carb (5%), Whole30 (5%), high-protein (4%), and ketogenic/high-fat (3%). Younger consumers (age 18 to 34) were more likely to follow a specific eating pattern or diet than those 35 and above.