US Healthy Dining Trends Report 2024

This report explores the healthy dining out trends affecting consumer restaurant preferences—data-backed analysis of key consumer behaviors and trends, market predictions, opportunities for operators, and more.

Healthy Dining – Current Trends

A significant 76% of consumers agree it’s easier to eat at home than at restaurants, underscoring the challenge for operators to overcome the perception of dining out as a barrier to a healthy lifestyle. Consumers crave transparency in their meals, with an interest in less processed, more wholesome ingredients when dining out. By providing solutions to formulate a healthier dining experience through menu enhancements with clear communications, operators can meet consumers’ desire for clarity away-from-home (AFH).

Health-conscious eating will continue to shape dining choices, signaling a need for food manufacturers and restaurants to reformulate offerings. As health awareness expands, consumers’ demands for cleaner, safer ingredients will only increase, putting pressure on operators to adopt cleaner ingredients and more transparent practices to meet these evolving expectations.

To better align with consumer preferences, operators should enhance health messaging without being overly strict. Offering more nutritional call-outs, embracing diet trends, and introducing smaller portion sizes can help consumers make healthier choices in an approachable way. By focusing on moderation and tailored offerings, restaurants can provide enjoyable dining experiences while catering to health-conscious customers.

Healthy Dining Statistics

• Consumers lean into healthy dining: There is an observable attitude change as diners prioritize nutritious options. Restaurants must innovate ways to cater to evolving needs, as 44% of consumers say they would order from fast food locations if healthy options were available. Going forward healthful options will attract not only the health-conscious, but a wider crowd as well.
• Protein entices for satiation and nutrition goals: High protein is expanding in the foodservice space, just as it has in retail, as the demand for convenient but satiating and tasty options pushes to the forefront. High protein is particularly drawing younger consumers with 48% of Gen Z— a generation of regular snackers—wanting high protein options.
• Consumers want substitutes for fried items: 42% of consumers demand options like grilled chicken in place of fried, indicating an opportunity for operators to provide flexibility to diners in these spaces. A similar percentage of consumers also want reduced portion sizes on the menu, with moderation top of mind for many.

US Healthy Dining Trends Report – What’s Inside?

Key Topics Analyzed in the Report

• How consumers approach healthy dining at restaurants
• Healthy dining claims (eg high protein) that motivate consumers
• Features consumers desire in healthy menu items (eg organic ingredients)
• Attitudes and behaviors toward eating healthy at-home and away-from-home

Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis

This report was written by Pooja Lal. Pooja is an Analyst for US Foodservice and Mintel Menu Insights. She has over 5 years of experience working in Sales and Consumer Insights with CPG companies on both the Retail and Foodservice segments of the business. Pooja earned her Bachelors of Commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University in Nova Scotia, Canada. She is based in New York.

Consumers are taking a balanced approach to dining out as they reassess what health means to them and how much it impacts their eating habits away from home.

Pooja Lal
Research Analyst