10 top trends resetting consumer appetite in 2026

Key takeaways:

• GLP-1 drugs, protein prioritization and portion realism are reshaping not just how much consumers eat in 2026, but how they experience taste, satisfaction and value.
• Bakery and snack products are being judged less on indulgence alone and more on what they deliver – satiety, function and sensory payoff per bite.
• In a tougher innovation climate, products that promise health or function but fail on taste risk being quietly abandoned rather than actively rejected.

From GLP-1-driven taste shifts to protein pressure and portion realism, 2026 won’t kill indulgence – it’ll demand that bakery and snacks work harder for every bite.

If 2024 was about price shock and 2025 about reformulation fatigue, 2026 is about appetite itself. Not hunger, exactly – appetite. What people want, how much they want it, and what they expect food to do once they’ve eaten it.

Across forecasts from Trendincite, Puratos, Natural Grocers, Circana and others, the signals are aligning. Consumers haven’t stopped craving pleasure, but they’re far less tolerant of food that doesn’t deliver something back – satiety, protein, function, or at the very least a genuinely satisfying sensory hit. Food is being judged on outcomes as much as ingredients.

GLP-1 drugs sit at the center of this reset, but they’re not acting alone. Protein has gone mainstream, portion control has shifted from diet culture to product design, and functional expectations are creeping into everyday bakery and snacking occasions. Meanwhile, innovation is harder to land. Shoppers are trying fewer new products, abandoning disappointments faster, and quietly opting out when something doesn’t live up to its promise.

That’s the tension heading into 2026. Bakery and snacks still have permission to indulge – but indulgence now has rules. It has to taste good, do something useful, and feel worth the bite. Miss one, and consumers won’t complain. They’ll just move on.

GLP-1 drugs are rewiring taste, smell and satisfaction

According to Trendincite, GLP-1 medications are reshaping consumers’ relationships with food in ways that go far beyond eating less. The firm points to flattened hunger cues, rewired cravings and altered sensory perception, with some users reporting dulled taste, heightened sweet sensitivity or stronger reactions to smell.

This sensory shift matters because it changes how satisfaction is achieved. Trendincite notes that perfume use among GLP-1 users has increased by 23%, as people seek sensory stimulation they’re no longer getting from food. For bakery and snacks, that signals a need to rethink how pleasure is delivered – through aroma, mouthfeel and finish, not just sugar or fat.

UBS predicts there will be 40 million global GLP-1 users by 2029, while availability continues to expand through retailers like Costco and programs such as Noom’s GLP-1Rx. This isn’t a niche audience anymore – it’s a structural change in the market.

Portion size becomes a design decision, not a diet concession

Trendincite also highlights adjusted portion sizes as a key innovation response to GLP-1-driven behavior. As consumers physically eat less, the value proposition of food shifts from quantity to impact.

For bakery, this reframes minis, halves and smaller formats as intentional, even premium. Portion control stops being framed as restriction and starts functioning as smart design – provided the eating experience still feels rewarding.

In 2026, smaller portions won’t get a free pass. They’ll have to earn their place through better texture, stronger flavor balance and clearer purpose.

Protein stops being a claim and becomes the product

Data from Puratos’ Taste Tomorrow research shows protein has become the fourth most searched nutritional attribute globally, behind sugar, calories and fat. Searches for ‘low-carb protein bread’ and ‘high-protein dessert’ have surged, with Puratos directly linking the trend to growing GLP-1 awareness and concerns around muscle loss.

Griffith Foods’ 2026 Food & Flavor Outlook reinforces this shift, noting that nearly half of consumers intend to increase protein intake. The appeal cuts across age groups, driven by satiety, energy and long-term health.

For bakery and snacks, protein is no longer an add-on. It’s becoming central to how products are justified, priced and positioned.

Muscle preservation moves into everyday food decisions

As awareness of GLP-1 side effects grows, muscle health has entered mainstream food conversations. Puratos points out that many consumers are now proactively seeking protein to counter potential muscle loss, even if they aren’t using medication themselves.

This opens space for bakery and snacks to participate in functional nutrition without drifting into sports-nutrition territory. Products don’t need to shout ‘performance’ to deliver it – they just need to support it credibly.

In 2026, strength and indulgence aren’t opposites. They’re increasingly expected to coexist.

Function-first snacking replaces empty calories

TNA Solutions describes a snack aisle undergoing a fundamental shift, citing NIQ’s State of Snacking 2024, which shows better-for-you snack segments growing at twice the rate of traditional indulgent categories. Low-sugar and functional claims, including protein and fiber, are driving the fastest gains.

The context matters. More than 60% of consumers now snack in place of meals, raising expectations around nutritional value and satiety. Snacks are no longer just fillers – they’re stand-ins.

For bakery, that blurs traditional category lines and raises the stakes on formulation and performance.

Foundational health thinking seeps into bakery and snacks

Natural Grocers’ 2026 trends emphasize ‘five foundational supplements’, signaling a broader shift toward manageable, everyday health routines. That logic doesn’t stay confined to pills and powders.

Consumers are increasingly looking for foods that quietly support wellness without demanding behavior change. Bakery and snacks that fit easily into daily rituals, while offering clearer nutritional value, are better positioned to benefit.

Health in 2026 has to feel practical, not aspirational.

Creatine’s mainstreaming raises the bar for everyone

Natural Grocers also identifies creatine as moving beyond workout culture into everyday health. Even for brands that won’t use creatine directly, the signal is important.

When once-niche performance ingredients become normalized, they recalibrate expectations across the food landscape. Protein, fiber and functional benefits start to feel non-negotiable rather than optional.

Creatine’s rise is less about the ingredient itself and more about what consumers now consider baseline.

Sugar doesn’t disappear – it gets more selective

Trend forecasts pointing to ‘mindful sweetening’ suggest the conversation around sugar is shifting from elimination to intention. Ingredients like honey are being positioned as more acceptable sources of sweetness, rather than sweetness itself being rejected.

This translates into tighter sweetness curves, cleaner finishes and ingredient choices that signal quality. Consumers still want indulgence – they just want it to feel justified.

In 2026, sweetness has to earn its place.

Taste masking becomes the quiet battleground

As Ohly explains, functional reformulation often comes with sensory trade-offs. Protein can introduce bitterness, fiber can create dryness and sugar reduction can leave lingering off-notes.

Ohly emphasizes that while health benefits may drive trial, taste determines loyalty. Successful functional foods balance credible benefits, clear labeling and strong flavor performance – in that order.

In a crowded, cautious market, poor taste doesn’t spark backlash. It sparks silence.

‘Silent quitting’ becomes innovation’s biggest risk

Circana’s 2025 Innovation Pacesetters report warns that when products fail to meet expectations, consumers simply stop buying. Innovation levels across Europe are already at historic lows, and inflation has made shoppers less forgiving.

In a function-heavy 2026 landscape, that creates a clear danger. Products may earn trial based on claims alone, but they’ll only survive if the eating experience delivers.

Appetite has changed. Patience has not increased.