Every time you turned around this year, it seemed there was a new “natural,” “nutritious” or something “-free” product on the shelf. Here’s a look at some of the top trends in 2012:
1. Healthy Convenience Foods
Grabbing a quick on-the-go snack no longer meant reaching for a candy bar or cookie with new options like chia seed snack packs, ready-to-eat hardboiled eggs and single-servings of dried fruit.
2. Added-Sugar Slashing
Shoppers who wanted their sweet treats, but not all the added sugar that comes with them got their fix with products like unsweetened cocoa powder for baking and snack bars sweetened only with dried fruit.
3. Sugar Swaps
In addition to cutting back on refined sugars, shoppers also started swapping out the refined white stuff for healthier alternatives with fewer calories or more antioxidants and vitamins, like monk fruit, honey and coconut sugar.
4. Gluten-Free and Natural
Shoppers got their wish for gluten-free and healthy with products like whole-grain sorghum baking mixes and muffins made mostly from fruits and vegetables.
5. Old Favorites Made Healthy
Shoppers cut the guilt of indulging in old favorites like meatballs and tortilla chips with healthier alternatives such as mushroom “meat”balls and corn-free black bean chips.