The food of the future: what will we be eating in 2050?

What will the menu look like in the future?

What specific approaches are there that can be used to fulfil changing nutritional needs in the future? And how can you actively shape the diet of tomorrow today?

Plant-based meat, insects and co. - alternatives for proteins and nutrients

One of the most important nutrients for our bodies is protein. While plant-based sources dominate worldwide,⁸ protein requirements in the western world are predominantly met by meat.⁹

This is not sustainable for ethical and health reasons. However, the environment also suffers from factory farming and the resulting greenhouse gases.

For some years now, research has therefore been ongoing into alternatives to not only provide the nutrients, but also reproduce the flavour. These include the classic "plant-based meat substitute" as well as laboratory meat, insects and algae.

Plant-based meat

Companies such as Beyond Meat are leading the way: plant-based meat can taste just like the original. It is true that this is a processed product and health is not the main focus. But it does provide the familiar flavour without harming animals or the environment.

Laboratory meat

In the future, there will be ways to meet the increased demand for meat,¹⁰ with less factory farming and reduced animal suffering. Lab-grown meat, also known as "clean meat", is the solution. This is meat that is cultivated in the laboratory from stem cells.¹¹

The cells in this meat are similar to those in real animals, except that it can be produced with fewer resources and without pathogens or antibiotics. However, as it is real meat, there are the same health risks associated with excessive consumption.

Insects as a basis for nutrition - space-saving and energy-generating

Insects are another option for responding to the growing demand for food. The advantages are manifold:

• Insects require little space and can be bred anywhere
• Good utilisation of feed (2 kg for 1 kg mass compared to 8 kg for 1 kg mass for cows)
• Organic waste can also be used as feed, compost or other organic materials
• They are rich in protein, fibre, iron, magnesium, zinc and more¹²

For most people in the western world, eating insects is rather unusual and disgusting. However, they are already being used in some protein bars in this country and do not stand out in terms of flavour.

Microalgae - the green (nutrient) gold from the water

There are over 100,000 species of microalgae, which are responsible for more than 75% of the world's oxygen production. In addition to oxygen, they can also produce many other nutrients¹³. Well-known microalgae that are already being cultivated to supply nutrients are spirulina and chlorella.¹⁴

Algae oil is also already being used as a vegan substitute for fish oil to supply the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. As the microalgae can be cultivated in closed systems and are therefore free from environmental toxins, this is a promising food of the future.

Snackification - no time for healthy eating? No problem!

Our lifestyle has changed fundamentally in recent decades. We spend more time in front of screens and rarely have the opportunity to eat thoughtfully and consciously. Our mealtimes are aligned with work instead of the other way round.

Where snacks were once only intended to satisfy small cravings in between meals, they are now becoming a real alternative. And it's rarely just about chocolate bars.

On the contrary, snackification means more than anything else:

• Healthy and delicious, with lots of nutrients and flavour
• Small meals, that don't make you tired
• can be consumed during short breaks

Drinkable food is a development in this direction. As a classic "functional food", it not only provides energy and nutrients, but can also be enjoyed anywhere and at any time. The perfect snack.

The same applies to Saturo drinkable food. It contains all 26 minerals and vitamins in the exact composition that the body needs. The drink is available in different flavours, from cappuccino to strawberry, so you are guaranteed to find the right flavour for you.

If you only have a little time for your diet, try a balanced snack and order the Saturo trial pack.

Try a tasting pack now

Personalised nutrition - individual nutrition for the best results

In our society, self-analysis is advancing inexorably. We count our steps with fitness trackers, analyse the quality of our sleep with apps and use Cronometer and MyFitnessPal to monitor our nutritional intake. So why not eat tailor-made food for the best possible results?

Personalised nutrition is designed to help you achieve your goals with less effort. Using questionnaires, genetic analysis or other methods, your nutritional requirements are determined so that you can be offered individualised nutritional recommendations or customised nutritional supplements.

The approach makes sense - after all, people are all different, but the nutritional recommendations are universally the same. A hard worker has different nutritional requirements to someone who just sits in an office all day.

Personalised nutrition can meet these different needs and provide everyone with exactly the food they need for their health and well-being.

It is a promising field for tailoring the food of the future even more individually to the processes in each person's body. Being healthy, fit and happy will then be easier than ever before.

Urban farming - shifting production closer to the consumer

Urban farming is ideal for making efficient use of space and creating transparency in food production. This is because urban farming shifts food production away from large fields and into the cities where the food is eaten.

Interesting concepts in urban farming include

• Rooftop farms, where fruit and vegetables are grown on rooftops
• Aquaponics, where fish farming and vegetable growing work synergistically in a closed cycle
• Hydroponics, where vegetables and lettuces are grown in a nutrient solution rather than in soil
• Community gardens, which are located in the centre of the city and create a shared gardening experience for family and friends
• Edible green spaces where not only ornamental but also edible crops grow in parks¹⁵

The fact that food is grown in the city has several advantages. Firstly, the vegetables are fresher due to the short transport routes and therefore provide more nutrients. Secondly, the farms can be visited, which makes the entire production chain more transparent and improves identification with the food.

In addition, community gardens and urban gardening allow you to experience the journey of the food from seed to plate. This not only tastes better, but also creates a greater understanding of food. It also allows you to meet like-minded people and make new contacts.

What food trends 2024 will bring

A new year, a new trend and so a number of food trends for the coming year have already emerged in 2023. More emphasis will be placed on home-cooked food and meat will play a less important role in the diet. At the same time, sustainability in purchasing will continue to gain in importance.

Home cooking - health and flavour in your own hands

Home cooking ensures that it is clear what is in the food. The food can be selected according to your own preferences, allowing you to pay attention to organic quality, regional origin or food intolerances.

According to a survey, 26% of Germans cooked at home more often in 2020 than a year earlier. In the 16-24 age group, this figure was almost one in three.¹⁶

This trend is being reinforced by the growing popularity of food delivery services and cooking boxes.¹⁷ With just a few clicks, you can easily order your food online and have it conveniently delivered to your home. Cooking boxes also eliminate the problem of not knowing what to cook.

This minimises the entry barriers to home cooking and makes it easier to stand at the cooker yourself. The good flavour and lower costs than a restaurant visit do the rest.

With a few simple tips, you can bring more home-cooked food into your home:

• Only look for recipes of things you like to eat
• Start with simple recipes, max. 30 minutes preparation time and 7 ingredients
• Create a shopping list with the ingredients you need
• Invite your partner or friends to cook together

Flexitarians and plant-based diets - conscience is a factor

Meat consumption is increasingly being questioned. While just 3% of the Austrian population were vegetarians in 2005,¹⁸ the figure was already 8% in 2019, and rising.¹⁹ As many as 48% of the population would describe themselves as flexitarians.²⁰²¹

Giving up meat occasionally has benefits for health, animals and the environment. At the same time, it is not as obligatory as declaring that you are going to give up meat and animal products completely from now on.

The increasing availability of substitute products, which are becoming cheaper every year, also makes it easy to replace the meat on your plate with an alternative. A meat-free diet has never been easier.

If you want to integrate less meat into your diet in the new year, here are a few tips for you:

• Start slowly, with one meat-free meal and increase if it's good for you and fun
• Protein alternatives for meat include beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh
• Processed alternatives are fine to start with, but put the long-term focus on unprocessed foods
• Try new things, look for tasty recipes with unfamiliar vegetables and prepare them
• Nuts and trail mix satisfy cravings, just like SATURO

Transparency and sustainability - more organic, local, seasonal and less plastic

Sustainability has been an issue with food for some time now. More and more people are avoiding single-use plastic bags when shopping and choosing the unpackaged alternative for fruit and vegetables. Bans on plastic carrier bags, such as those passed in Austria and Germany, are having a supporting effect.²³²⁵

Organic food is becoming increasingly popular, but "discounter organic" has a bad reputation. Three quarters of shoppers do not believe that what is on offer really meets organic standards.²⁵

Organic retailers, farmers' markets and directly marketed vegetables will therefore gain in importance next year. They offer unpackaged and seasonal food, which is mostly grown locally.

In addition, you can enter into a direct dialogue with the producer and the vegetables get a face - that creates trust.

What opportunities are there for you to shop more sustainably in 2021?

• Become part of a food co-op that buys goods directly from the producer
• Subscribe to a vegetable subscription programme at a farm/provider in your area
• Become a member of a community-supported agriculture scheme "SoLaWi" for fresh vegetables and involvement in cultivation
• Consciously avoid packaged products when shopping and use your own shopping bags
• Buy directly from the producer using crowdfarming

Summary of the most important aspects of the diet of the future and upcoming trends

The food of the future

Alternatives for proteins and nutrients

• Plant-based meat
• Laboratory meat or "clean meat"
• Insects (crickets, flies)
• Microalgae

Numerous ways to create flavour and nutrients with less space and animal suffering

Snackification - small meals for the busy everyday life

Meals should be:

• Be healthy and tasty
  
• Not make you tired
  
• Be edible in between
  

Ideal solution are Saturo Drinks

Personalised nutrition - tailored to the body's needs

• Quizzes or genetic tests are used to determine the ideal food sources
  
• Individualised nutritional recommendations instead of one-size-fits-all

Urban farming - food production in the neighbourhood

• Rooftop farms grow food on rooftops
  
• Aquaponics combines indoor fish farming and vegetable growing
  
• Urban gardening creates spaces for growing your own vegetables
  
• . vegetable growing
  
• Edible green spaces provide residents with fruit & vegetables

Nutrition trends 2024

Home cooking for increased nutritional awareness

• Search for simple recipes, with max. 30 minutes preparation time and 7 ingredients
  
• Create a shopping list so you don't buy too much
  
• Cook things you like to eat
  
• , that you like to eat
  
• Make cooking an event and invite friends over

More flexitarian and less meat consumption

• Start with one meal and work your way up
  
• Student food and saturo helps against cravings
  
• Beans, lentils, tofu are good sources of protein
  
• Focus on whole foods

Transparency and sustainability when shopping

• Purchase vegetables from your local farm
  
• Buy from the producer via crowdfarming or foodcoops
  
• Become a member of a SoLaWi for fresh vegetables and fresh air
  
• Consciously avoid packaged food