Top Post-Pandemic Health and Wellness Food Trends

As we continue to navigate the coronavirus outbreak, we’ve seen an increased focus on healthy and balanced eating. That’s in part because there’s strong evidence that obesity, diabetes, and heart problems can increase your risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19. Of course, in many cases, you can’t make those issues disappear entirely simply by changing your diet. But you can give yourself the best possible chance of staying well by committing to eating nutritious meals and snacks every day. Here, I’ll give you a quick primer on the health and wellness food trends that can make a difference in your life.

• Health and Wellness Food Trends for 2020 and Beyond
• How to Follow Food Trends for Health and Wellness Now
• More Wellness Trends for COVID-19 and Beyond
• Your Health is Wealth

Health and Wellness Food Trends for 2020 and Beyond

Whenever wellness trends come up, you’re sure to hear mention of these. And that’s with good reason: unlike fad diets, these tried-and-true strategies can be part of your healthy lifestyle for the long haul.

Adopting the Mediterranean Diet

Doctors and other health experts are always talking about the Mediterranean diet. That’s because it may be the single best change you can make for your health—now more than ever. Mediterranean eating focuses on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; fish and seafood; nuts, legumes, and beans; poultry and eggs; and healthy fats from sources like olive oil. Dairy and red meat are acceptable in modest quantities. The emphasis is on unprocessed, heart-healthy foods, and the benefits are clear. Following a Mediterranean diet can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, and avoid age-related cognitive decline. And don’t worry—herbs, spices, and healthy fats mean that eating this way can be satisfying to your taste buds, too.

Prioritizing Plant-Based Eating

These days, consuming a diet that’s fully vegan or mostly plant-based is easier than ever. Thanks to tasty options like the Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger, it’s a cinch to swap red meat for satisfying vegetarian entrees. And you don’t need to ditch meat, cheese, and eggs entirely to reap the benefits of plant-based eating. If you commit to switching out animal protein for plant protein most of the time, you’ll lower your risk of cancer and diabetes. Bonus: a vegetarian, vegan, or mostly-plant diet is significantly better for the planet than the standard American diet.

Using a Healthy Meal Delivery Kit Service

Meal delivery kits are food trends that can help you along your journey to health and wellness. They make it easy for you to try delicious new recipes without having to go shopping or measure ingredients. And delivery kit services like Sun Basket and Splendid Spoon offer healthy meal choices to suit your dietary needs and personal taste. Sun Basket allows you to choose from options like vegetarian, gluten-free, Mediterranean, and diabetes-friendly. Splendid Spoon’s offerings are entirely vegan and gluten-free. We’re all staying at home, avoiding restaurants, and experimenting in the kitchen anyway, right? So if you’ve been wanting to try a meal kit service, there’s no time like the present. Consider it an investment in your health.

How to Follow Food Trends for Health and Wellness Now

So, after reviewing some healthy food trends, you may be ready to make some positive changes in your eating habits right now. Here are some quick tips for getting started.

• Start each day with a healthy smoothie or protein shake, rather than a bowl of sugary cereal. Check out these nutritious pea protein powders if you’re going plant-based.
• Fill your fridge and pantry with healthy foods to eat for snacks, no preparation required. Think nuts like almonds and pistachios, low-fat cheese and yogurt, and cut-up veggies and hummus. Resist the chips and crackers!
• Don’t wait until you’re hungry to prepare your next meal. Plan ahead with some quick healthy meal prep so that you’re never cooking (and grazing) on an empty stomach. 
• Try shopping for your groceries online rather than in store. You’ll be less likely to make impulse purchases when they’re not right in front of you.
• Re-think your portions. If you’re used to having a big serving of pasta with a side salad for dinner, load your plate up with veggies first. Think of pasta, rice, and meat as your new side dishes.

More Wellness Trends for COVID-19 and Beyond

Right now, it’s crucial (maybe more so than ever) to be as healthy as you can be. Check out a few more food and health trends that could make a significant difference in your life.

Intermittent Fasting

If you follow wellness and health food trends, you’ve probably heard of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is an eating cycle that may help you to lose weight and lower your risk of diabetes. One popular method is fasting for 16 hours, followed by an eight-hour period for meals and snacks. This is called 16:8 fasting. If it’s something you’d like to try, check-in with your doctor to see if it’s appropriate for you.

At-Home Fitness Apps

Until it’s safe to go back to the gym, the best place for your workouts these days may be in your own home. And if you’re tired of jogging around your neighborhood or rewatching old exercise DVDs, you’ll love the variety offered by fitness apps. Choose from on-demand workouts or live streaming classes on apps like OpenFit, obé fitness, and Fiit. Even better—the year-long subscription plans cost far less than most gym memberships.

Mindfulness Meditation

It’s no secret that the future is uncertain. It’s difficult to know when (and how) social distancing will end and what life will look like when it does. Many people aren’t sure when they’ll be able to return to work—or if they’ll have jobs to return to. Practicing simple mindfulness meditation exercises can help you to cope with the stress and anxiety of the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out an app like Calm, which offers guided meditations, bedtime stories for kids and grown-ups alike, and peaceful soundscapes. When it comes to trends for health food and mental wellness, meditation and mindfulness maybe some of the easiest and most effective to introduce into your routine.

Your Health is Wealth

This has been a very strange year, and you may not see a return to the norm for many months to come. Right now, the most important thing you can do for yourself is to take good care of your health. Making good choices about eating, exercising, and engaging in self-care are all more important than ever. And even when the pandemic is finally over, your good habits will serve you well for a long and happy life.