Skip to content

Food & Drink

What’s New in Food for 2025

Whole Foods just dropped its latest trends, and they’re crunchy

By Sarah Stackhouse October 23, 2024

Various food and drink products are arranged on a flat surface, showcasing snacks, beverages, and packaging that highlight food trends 2025.
All photos courtesy of Whole Foods Market

Mushroom chips, anyone? Or maybe cactus water? How about a side of duckweed, or a sea moss gummy? 

Whole Foods’ 50-person team of experts — foragers, buyers, culinary pros — has spoken, and the future is looking global and crunchy. This year marks the grocer’s 10th trends report. 

“We’re especially excited to celebrate how far we’ve come by spotlighting trends for 2025 that not only reflect growing consumer preferences but also push the boundaries of what’s possible for the world of food,” says Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief merchandising and marketing officer.

Crispy, Crunchy Everything

Crunch is everywhere, from grains to sprouted nuts, even making an appearance in drinks (yes, you can find a crème brûlée espresso martini with a crispy topping). I can’t wait to try the cashews with Sichuan spice. Who said snacks aren’t a complete meal?

Protein Power-Up

Protein-rich snacks (“whole food” snacking) and meals are also on the rise, as consumers seek more animal proteins over traditional bars and powders. Organ meats are the new superfood, loaded with protein, minerals, and vitamins. They’re being mixed with muscle meat like ground beef, making it easier to prepare. 

 

Hydration, But Make It Fancy

In 2025, hydration gets an upgrade with sparkling coconut water, electrolyte popsicles, and chlorophyll-infused drinks. Pricklee cactus water or hydration mix, anyone?

Dumplings Everywhere

Dumplings are invading the freezer aisle. Forget takeout. You can find Chinese soup dumplings and vegan dumplings at your local grocery store. They are popping up with all kinds of new flavors. Sometimes we want our comfort food without leaving the house.

Sourdough Returns

Sourdough is back — but not just in bread. Expect sourdough pizza crusts, brownies, spaghetti, flatbreads, and even crackers. No stinky starter needed.

Aquatic Proteins

Aquatic ingredients like sea moss and duckweed (also called water lentils, a tiny floating plant packed with nutrients and more protein than other leafy greens) are hitting shelves as sustainable proteins. Feels very Seattle, don’t you think? 

Eco-Friendly Packaging and Sips

Speaking of sustainability, some products are now (or will soon be) fully compostable at home — think cling wrap and compostable produce stickers. And forward-thinking boozy brands are working to reduce their environmental footprints too. Beer and whiskey brands are using drought-resistant and regeneratively farmed ingredients. Boxed wines are making a comeback, with more eco-friendly packaging. And tea lovers, get ready: tea is having a glow-up with tea strips, cold-brew bags, and sparkling teas. I’ve added cold-brew peach and mango tea to my list.

It’s good news that people are thinking about health and sustainability. I’m especially excited about the compostable items — small changes like that can make a big difference. And I’m all for the “whole foods” snacking. A lot of current snacks leave me hungry not long after eating them. But snacking on something like smoked salmon cubes or spicy nuts? That sounds delicious and satisfying. And hopefully these trends will come with a price point that’s available to everyone because I think we’d all like to eat healthier and live greener. 

What will you try first? You have plenty of options: Whole Foods operates 11 stores across Washington state, 10 of which are in the Puget Sound region. Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017.

Follow Us

Seattle Baker Wins Food Network Cookie Challenge

Seattle Baker Wins Food Network Cookie Challenge

Janet Tan’s $10,000 victory moves her closer to her dream

Seattle baker Janet Tan emerged as the winner of Food Network’s The Christmas Cookie Challenge, a victory that brings her one step closer to achieving her dream of opening her own storefront. “I was surprised when I found out that I won because the other bakers are equally talented, and this challenge was so tough,”…

From Tech to Toys

From Tech to Toys

Amazon hosts Winter Wonderland for underserved kids

Amazon’s downtown Seattle campus is usually full of tech workers. Last weekend, it was overrun by children. The company transformed its downtown Seattle headquarters into a Winter Wonderland, hosting more than 1,000 underserved children and their families for a day of festive activities and holiday fun.  Each child had the opportunity to select up to…

Tacoma Mall Goes Upscale

Tacoma Mall Goes Upscale

It joins several other properties in recreating the mall experience

Many malls across the United States are struggling. So, why is Tacoma Mall investing tens of millions of dollars in a massive renovation? Mall owner Simon Property Group — best known locally as the redeveloper of Northgate Mall, now known as Northgate Station — has launched plans for a multi-million-dollar revitalization of the mall, which…

Help Pike Place Market Foundation Win $100,000

Help Pike Place Market Foundation Win $100,000

Kelly Clarkson’s Good Neighbor of the Year could mean big support for Seattle’s historic market

Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Market is in the running for a $100,000 prize as a finalist for The Kelly Clarkson Show’s Good Neighbor of the Year. Tune in to KOMO News today at 2 p.m. to see the Market featured on national TV, then head to @kellyclarksonshow’s Instagram story to vote by entering “Seattle.” Voting…