Eating for Wellness Will Be a Lot Simpler—And More Celebratory—In 2024

Comfort + joy = a recipe for success for food brands everywhere.

The definition of “healthy eating” has long been highly subjective, as its answer depends on whom you ask. Many iterations, though, have been prescriptive, narrow, exclusive, and sometimes even culturally offensive. But moving into 2024, healthy food brands are prioritizing a more open-minded and joyful approach to eating—without any need to measure macronutrients or buy super-niche and expensive ingredients. Rather, what’s set to take over our plates is food that centers simplicity, comfort, and legitimate function above all else.

This approach to healthy eating from wellness-minded food brands is notably meeting consumers where they are, and taking into account what they’re prioritizing. According to youth intelligence research firm YPulse, nearly 80 percent of Americans between ages 13 and 39 believe that wellness can be “anything that makes you feel good.” Ninety percent agree that wellness looks different for everyone, and that it’s ever-changing. Building on the recent rise of “nostalgia foods” that center joy and comfort, brands are now realizing comfort and joy can come with simple, nutritious ingredients.

“We understand that today's consumers are highly conscious of what they put into their bodies, seeking transparent, nutrient-dense products that also make a positive impact on the world—and we are happy to meet them where they are,” says Jesse Merrill, co-founder and CEO of Good Culture, a cottage cheese company that launched in 2014. “Our thesis from day one was to reimagine a stagnant category with responsibly-sourced and delicious products that focus on basic, nutritious ingredients.” Good Culture conveys feelings of comfort and joyful nourishment through pared-back-but-poppy packaging that calls attention to the fact that cottage cheese has 14 grams of protein per serving, no added sugar, and gut-promoting cultures. We make good a little better is the leading line on the brand’s website. Despite offering similar nutritional benefits to other long-standing competitors, Good Culture’s fresh look and to-the-point nutrition callouts in its branding leaves no one wondering whether the product is good for you.