Are Gen Z’s nutritional habits worsening?

According to findings from EIT (The European Institute of Innovation and Technology) last year, healthy eating was one of the highest priorities of Gen Z – as agreed by 72%. With food preferences such as organic and plant-based taking precedent, the majority of the studies show Gen Z cohorts agreeing that eating healthily is considered fashionable.

A new study from makers of nutritionally complete food –  yfood – has carefully dissected this year’s Gen Z’s relationship with nutrition and uncovered the behavioural patterns that drive reliance on easily accessible foods at the expense of their health.

With the onset of an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, it has become notably harder to maintain a nutritionally complete diet. Despite growing trends on social media and the temptation to go out and eat an aesthetically pleasing meal, yfood’s research shows the truth is future consumers do not know where to get their essential nutrients – as agreed by 26% of Gen Zs.

With over a third of 18-25-year-olds agreeing that junk food is the only food they have access to at points of significant hunger, it is clear we as a nation opt for convenience and affordability at the expense of our health.

One potential reason for this acceleration is the fact that 41% of Brits associate healthy and nutritious food products with unaffordable prices. Therefore, over half of the younger generation (52%) are more likely to buy cheap, unhealthier food that will last longer.
Key stats:

• 30% of Gen Zs don’t eat throughout the day and instead increase their calorie intake at dinner, compared with 20% of millennials
• 26% of Gen Zs agree they don’t know where to get their essential nutrients, compared to 12% of millennials
• 31% of Gen Zs agree that junk food is the only food they have access to at points of significant hunger, compared to 20% of millennials
• 74% of Gen Zs agree they buy cheap, unhealthier food that will last longer, compared to 63% of millennials
• 57% of Gen Zs snack more between lunch and dinner, compared to 44% of millennials
• 52% of Gen Zs agree they buy cheap food at the expense of their nutritional needs as a result of the rise in living costs, compared with 43% of millennials
• 52% of Gen Zs agree that since they started working from home, they snack more on easy and unhealthy foods, compared to 43% of millennials

Reflected in the research is an additional threat to young people’s intricate standing with food, and that is the reliance on convenience, coupled with a poor understanding of where to source nutritional balance.

As the young workforce adjusts to a new way of living by predominantly working from the comfort of our homes our conventional routines of eating have been disrupted. Evidenced by the finding that over half of Gen Z’s are snacking on easy and unhealthy foods throughout the day – with this most commonly being between lunch and dinner – it is clear that the shift in our lifestyle structure has caused a shift in our nutritional priorities, and that this trend is looking likely to proceed into our future generations if current behaviours continue.

Noel Bollmann, CEO and co-founder of yfood says: “Our research has highlighted that despite wellbeing and health being at the forefront of our minds over the course of the last two years, there is still a lack of understanding as to where Brits can source their essential nutrients.”

For those who have the best dietary intentions but don’t have the time, yfood is a nutritionally complete food in the form of protein powders, bars, and their signature drinks which range from Coffee, Banana, Coconut and many more flavours.