2026
8
Germany Menu Trends: Healthy Dining 2026
2026-02-09T16:01:15+00:00
REP52297E86_7E70_44B2_A97E_867E7014B274
2195
190964
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Report
en_GB
Consumer participation in German foodservice has risen to 77% in 2025 (+3pp YoY), even as menu prices grew 4%. Notably, the share of those choosing a balance of healthy and…
Germany
Foodservice
simple

Germany Menu Trends: Healthy Dining 2026

"Harness the rising importance of social health by partnering with community-led fitness groups. Go beyond the protein trend and celebrate seasonal and local superfoods."

Eliana Riera-McInnes, Foodservice Research Analyst

Eliana Riera-McInnes, Foodservice Research Analyst

Consumer participation in German foodservice has risen to 77% in 2025 (+3pp YoY), even as menu prices grew 4%. Notably, the share of those choosing a balance of healthy and less healthy dishes has reached 45% (+4pp YoY), now surpassing those mainly choosing less healthy options. This signals a shift toward health-aligned behaviours, likely catalysed by improving economic sentiment. With the return of the reduced 7% VAT rate and easing inflation, operators are expected to gain the financial room to move from survival mode toward more health-forward menu innovation.

49% of foodservice consumers recognise having four or more ingredients as a sign of a dish being healthy, reflecting a ‘more is more’ perception. This creates opportunities to champion ingredient variety – from seasonal and local superfoods to pulses, nuts, seeds and overlooked cuts – introducing new components that add novelty and support more diverse, balanced diets.

71% of German adults are actively managing their weight, and this is already influencing behaviour, with reduced foodservice visiting frequency among those trying to lose weight. Renewed cultural focus on thinness linked to GLP-1 drugs is reinforcing this shift. Operators can respond with smaller portions, clearer nutritional cues and functional, nutrient-relevant dishes that align with consumers’ goals while retaining appeal.

This report looks at the following areas:

  • Macroeconomic pressures vs recovering confidence: impact of VAT cut and easing inflation
  • Shift from indulgence to balanced enjoyment: rise in nutrient-rich preferences, protein and fibre focus
  • Weight management acceleration: GLP-1 discussion, portion control, exercise-linked menu demand
  • Social wellbeing as driver: communal fitness groups, brunch boom, shareable menus
  • Ingredient diversity: consumer openness to broader ingredients, with a chance for seasonal and local superfoods
  • Digital enablement: macro calculators, algorithmic menu nudges, ClassPass food integration
  • Plant-based plateau and flexitarian mainstreaming: rebranding of vegan concepts, protein hero across categories
  • Competitive innovation responses: baked alternatives over fried, high-protein launches, bite-sized indulgence
Collapse All
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for menu trends: healthy dining
    • Opportunities
    • Harness the importance of sharing food as a social ritual to promote holistic wellbeing in foodservice
    • Build on consumer trust to drive healthier choices
    • Champion ingredient diversity by tapping into overlooked ingredients…
    • …and leveraging data-driven recommendations
  2. THE MARKET

    • Consumer confidence is recovering but remains fragile
    • VAT relief for foodservice could fuel healthier menu innovation
    • Social health is an increasingly important aspect of holistic health
    • Growing focus on weight management
    • Graph 1: weight management intentions, 2024-25
    • The rise of GLP-1 drugs rekindles focus on weight loss and thinness
    • Social media drives interest in high protein claims, but diversity will win in the long term
    • Graph 2: health priorities of 16-34s when shopping for groceries, 2021-25
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Popular mealtimes in foodservice
    • Greater eating out drives slight uptick in foodservice participation
    • Recovery across several age demographics
    • Graph 3: any eaten out or ordered takeaway/home delivery, by age, 2024-25
    • Brunch continues to gain ground
    • Graph 4: meals eaten out for or ordered for takeaway/home delivery in the last three months – NET, 2024-25
    • Capitalise on the weekend brunch opportunity
    • The rising importance of balance in menu choices
    • Germans are opting for more balanced menu choices
    • Long-term health concerns likely drive the move towards balanced enjoyment
    • Protein is significantly more important for brunchers
    • Look beyond the protein trend
    • Prepare for more selective indulgence that aligns with holistic health
    • Hone in on healthy menu innovation in mains
    • Graph 5: types of dishes where a healthy option is most likely to be chosen, by type of dishes ordered when eating out or ordering takeaway/home delivery – NET, 2025
    • Key markers of health in menus
    • Changing health trends make healthy choices more difficult for many
    • Cut through the noise of online health trends
    • Fresh fruit and veg are main markers of health in menus
    • Graph 6: ingredients most likely to make a dish seem healthy when eating out or ordering takeaway/home delivery, 2025
    • Scope to promote the importance of ingredient diversity in dishes
    • Use novelty as a gateway to foster greater ingredient diversity in dishes
    • Older women most likely to associate a wider set of ingredients with healthfulness
    • Graph 7: repertoire of ingredients most likely to make a dish seem healthy when eating out or ordering takeaway/home delivery, by gender, 2025
    • Weight management menu trends
    • Weight loss goals have the greatest impact on visiting frequency
    • Smaller portions will help support weight loss intentions and selective indulgence
    • Portion control could offer operators a chance to charge more for less in the weight loss/GLP-1 era
    • Demand for menu items that support training regimes
    • Capitalise on the synergy between active lifestyles and food and drink choices
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Indulgent foodservice brands craft menu items that align with health-conscious lifestyles
    • Despite the protein trend, high protein claims in German foodservice remain limited to health-forward outlets
    • Expect protein to become a hero ingredient beyond health outlets, following the lead of international markets
    • Exclusively plant-based restaurants lose steam
    • Fitness events centred around community and food are gaining traction
    • Fitness-app ClassPass expands into food and drink
  5. APPENDIX

    • Report scope
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Repertoire analysis methodology
    • Germany’s generation groups
    • Other data source methodologies
    • Mintel Spark
    • Abbreviations
    • A note on language – Germany

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