Although Gen Z is not anymore vegan or vegetarian than other generations, almost 60% of these consumers report that plant-based foods are not only better for the environment but also healthier. Even over the last year, Evergi data reveals a decline in purchases of traditional animal-based products.
Gen Z — those born between 1997 and 2012 — have become the driving force behind the vegan food market. According to a recent survey conducted by Medical Inspiration Daily For Stronger Society (MIDSS), more than half of Gen Z chose to go vegan due to health benefits.
Diet and health trends
Calorie counting was the most common diet among Gen Z, but plant-based or vegetarian eating has grown in popularity since 2017. As of 2022, more than half of Gen Z consumers eat at least a partially vegetarian diet. Of that group, 21 percent reported being strictly vegan.
But when it comes to just eating plant-based meat, only 6% of Gen Z are regularly choosing this option, compared to 12% of Millennials. However, while less than two in 10 say they regularly eat or drink each kind of plant-based products, 28% of young people overall are interested in them.
The study also found that 18 to 24-year-olds were consuming the most meat in comparison to other age groups.
Gen Z is consuming less meat and dairy than previous generations. Gen Z's milk preference is a dairy industry trend to watch. While older generations are still buying conventional cows milk, younger consumers are purchasing plant-based alternatives such as oat milk, pea milk and soy Milk.
Vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian that includes vegetables, grains, topped with an egg, and pescatarian that includes vegetables and fish are commonplace. Sharing their culinary experience ranks high among Gen Z. They look for foods that are personable and photogenic.
Of all chain restaurants and fast food places, McDonald's once again takes the top spot for Gen Z and Millennials.
Gen Zers just aren't buying milk as much as older generations. In a recent New York Times article, Generation Z was dubbed the “Not Milk generation” because they bought 20% less milk than the national average last year. Gen Zers grew up when milk alternatives like almond milk and oat milk became trendy.
Gen Z is conscious of eating foods that bolster their physical and mental health, with a focus on digestive and gut health. They look for menu items made with organic, fresh, and sustainable ingredients.
Basics that allow for lots of variety. While every group of teenagers will include some picky eaters, Gen Z is already shown to be pretty adventurous in their eating choices. Yes, they tend to like the classics you'd find in restaurants throughout America.
They're impulsive. Another weakness of Gen Z is that they can be quite impulsive. With instant gratification being so easily accessible, this generation has difficulty waiting for anything. They want what they want and they want it now!
Nearly 90 percent of North American Millennials cooked meals at home in 2022, according to a recent survey. In contrast, only 73 percent of Gen Z cooked their own meals. Other cooking activities were also more popular among Millennials.
Why does Gen Z go vegan? Gen Z is often considered to be more environmentally conscious than older generations, but that's not the main reason they adopt a vegan diet. Instead, 52% of Gen Z vegans say they went vegan for the health benefits.
Gen Z are primarily the children of Generation X. Their Generation X parents raised Gen Z to be independent and able to figure things out for themselves.
Gen Z eats fast food like no other generation. From a love for spicy food to visiting restaurants in big groups, these are 6 traits that define their dining habits.
Gen Z moms feel less confident.
They put more emphasis on being the "perfect mom" compared to Millennials, and they strive to reach more parenting ideals, from keeping kids busy to owning the scheduling for the entire family.
Gen Zers are drinking less than young people in past generations: about 20 percent less alcohol per capita than millennials did at their age, according to a report from Berenberg Research. And many are forgoing booze entirely.
Pizza remains an extremely popular staple among Gen Z, especially given their love for comfort food.
The survey, conducted in January, included 1,000 U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 65 who had at least one dog. It found that 49% of Baby Boomers (born from 1946 to 1964) view their pets as their children, while 34% of Gen Z respondents (born from 1997 to 2012) actually think of them more as a best friend.
Indeed, of the 5 billion restaurant visits by Gen Z consumers from July 2021 to July 2022, 4.3 billion visits were to quick-service restaurants. On the slightly more concerning side of things, YouGov data shows that 63% of Gen Z don't drink coffee at all – almost double the percentage of millennials at 33%.
A separate study found that nearly 30% of adult Gen Zers are still living at home with their parents, held back from moving out on their own by the rising cost of living.
Like Millennial Pink, Gen Z colors favor the eye-popping Cyber Lime (forecasted to be big in 2024) and Digital Lavender, also aligned with inclusivity. “[Cyber Lime] can speak to all, which Gen Z is very sensitive to,” said Guilbert.
Astro signs purport to be more meaningful and offer helpful insight, so Gen Zers enjoy seeing their experiences reflected back at them, served with guidance. Gen Z astrology content is highly personalised, with a lot of social media posts geared around the stereotypes of the specific signs.