Generation Z diners may be young, but their palates already have a taste for nostalgia. FONA International, a company that specializes in sweet and savory flavors for the food and beverage industry, says that the most popular flavors among young people include berries, citrus fruits, chocolate, vanilla and marshmallow. Generation Z has shown a preference for a healthy diet, including more organic and natural foods that are free of additives. This is largely because they are growing up in an era of health and wellness in which consumers pay more attention to the list of ingredients compared to previous generations.
Rather than sitting down to lunch or dinner, Generation Z prefers to eat short meals or snacks during the day. They focus on healthy foods and 54% of them say they prefer to eat healthy snacks. However, when asked to choose their favorite snacks, only 3% mentioned fruits, vegetables or nuts. Generation Z also tends to believe that their personal choices about food are an important indicator when it comes to sustainability, and 50% say that their individual choices about buying food and beverages have a “significant” or “moderate” impact on the environment.