According to findings from EIT (The European Institute of Innovation and Technology) last year, healthy eating was one of the highest priorities of Gen Z – as agreed by 72%. With food preferences such as organic and plant-based taking precedent, the majority of the studies show Gen Z cohorts agreeing that eating healthily is considered fashionable. However, a new study from market leaders of nutritionally complete food – yfood – has carefully dissected this year’s Gen Z’s relationship with nutrition and uncovered the behavioural patterns that drive reliance on easily accessible foods at the expense of their health.

With the onset of an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, it has become notably harder to maintain a nutritionally complete diet. Despite growing trends on social media and the temptation to go out and eat an aesthetically pleasing meal, yfood’s research shows the truth is future consumers do not know where to get their essential nutrients – as agreed by 26% of Gen Z’s. With over a third of 18-25-year-olds agreeing that junk food is the only food they have access to at points of significant hunger, it is clear we as a nation opt for convenience and affordability at the expense of our health. One potential reason for this acceleration is the fact that 41% of Brits associate healthy and nutritious food products with unaffordable prices. Therefore, over half of the younger generation (52%) are more likely to buy cheap, unhealthier food that will last longer.

Key stats:

30% of Gen Z’s don’t eat throughout the day and instead increase their calorie intake at dinner, compared with 20% of millennials
26% of Gen Z’s agree they don’t know where to get their essential nutrients, compared to 12% of millennials
31% of Gen Z’s agree that junk food is the only food they have access to at points of significant hunger, compared to 20% of millennials
74% of Gen Z’s agree they buy cheap, unhealthier food that will last longer, compared to 63% of millennials
57% of Gen Z’s snack more between lunch and dinner, compared to 44% of millennials
52% of Gen Z’s agree they buy cheap food at the expense of their nutritional needs as a result of the rise in living costs, compared with 43% of millennials
52% of Gen Z’s agree that since they started working from home, they snack more on easy and unhealthy foods, compared to 43% of millennials
Reflected in the research is an additional threat to young people’s intricate standing with food, and that is the reliance on convenience, coupled with a poor understanding of where to source nutritional balance. As the young workforce adjusts to a new way of living by predominantly working from the comfort of our homes our conventional routines of eating have been disrupted. Evidenced by the finding that over half of Gen Z’s are snacking on easy and unhealthy foods throughout the day – with this most commonly being between lunch and dinner – it is clear that the shift in our lifestyle structure has caused a shift in our nutritional priorities, and that this trend is looking likely to proceed into our future generations if current behaviours continue.

Noel Bollmann, CEO and co-founder of yfood, has commented on the vital importance of maintaining nutritionally balanced diets:

“Our research has highlighted that despite wellbeing and health being at the forefront of our minds over the course of the last two years, there is still a lack of understanding as to where Brits can source their essential nutrients.”

“Convenience has understandably become a significant motivator behind the food Brits purchase, but on occasion, this can lead to a nutritionally imbalanced diet. We, therefore, recognise that people want to eat simply but balanced. We make that possible by offering foods with a complete nutritional profile that can be consumed quickly and easily at any time. Our products fall under a completely new category called Smart Food, which is based on nutritional as well as technological insights and enables people to eat a balanced diet anytime, anywhere. Our products contain everything that makes up a complete meal.”