Will Complete Foods Completely Change Our Food Culture?

Meal replacements, in the form of complete foods such as Huel or Soylent , have entered our everyday eating routines, offering a viable mealtime alternative that is ‘convenient, sustainable, with balanced nutrition’. Are we about to enter a new age of food?

The appetite for complete foods is clear, with the global market for meal replacement shakes, already valued at $3 billion in 2022, expected to more than double by 2032.

This development reflects a deeper shift in eating habits, notably in the UK and US, where, despite an intense cultural fascination with food, the relentless pursuit of convenience dominates decision-making – giving rise to mini-meals, disrupting the traditional three-meals-a-day structure and replacing it with functional, goal-oriented consumption moments.

While these moments have typically been facilitated by grab-and-go meals or pre-packaged snacks, complete meal brands are rapidly stealing share by delivering all the nutrition, with even less fuss.

This change in how we eat raises a fundamental question: how willing are consumers to sacrifice taste, texture and freshness for functionality?

The irony of complete meals is that they challenge, perhaps even undermine, the concept of a meal – eliminating the emotional, sensory or social benefits we associate with food in favour of a utilitarian format solely designed to satisfy nutritional needs.

It’s possible that the future of food will see tradition and innovation co-exist, neatly compartmentalised into two parallel tracks: efficiency-driven eating for functional bodily maintenance, and ritualistic, sensory-driven dining for pleasure and human connection.

This evolving landscape presents a pivotal choice for food brands: embrace the functional future by prioritising nutrition, convenience, and efficiency, or lean into the experiential side of food culture, creating products that celebrate taste, texture, and emotional connection. Those caught in the middle offering neither strong nutritional benefits nor a compelling sensory experience, risk getting stuck in an increasingly irrelevant middle ground.

Interestingly, as eating habits shift, new opportunities are emerging beyond the plate – with a growing trend for food-inspired aesthetics. WGSN noted a 107% year-on-year increase in #FakeFood for interior design as consumers gravitate toward decor items that playfully mimic food. From banana vases to coffee-shaped candles, these objects offer a way to engage with food culture in a purely sensory and emotional way, perhaps compensating for the decline of sensory indulgence in actual meals.

As the landscape continues to shift, one thing is certain: the way we eat is evolving, but the meaning we attach to food remains as significant as ever.