Five Key Trends Impacting Menus Today 

December 3, 2024 
Author: Mike Kostyo, Vice President – Menu Matters 

The trend cycle keeps marching on. Menus continue to evolve as consumers demand new options, their need states change, and chefs and operators focus on innovation. Each new generation brings new consumer cravings, impacting foods, flavors, dishes, cuisines, dayparts, segments, and beyond. From the evolution of plant-forward and healthy eating to new ideas in global foods, from texture-focused innovation to trends in seasonality, diners continue to be hungry for new experiences and options. Here are five trends that are impacting menus today – and how they can jumpstart your menu ideation process: 

1. Plant-Forward Eating Evolves 

Plant-forward eating has been one of the key trends impacting the food industry and menus over the past decade. And it’s not going away: over 60% of consumers say they are trying to reduce their meat consumption in some way, with 36% saying they are significantly or completely reducing it.¹ But the ingredients and dishes that consumers want from a plant-based option are always changing and evolving.  

In 2012, for instance, Bon Appetit magazine named it the “year of kale.” Since then everything from brussels sprouts (found in the ubiquitous brussels sprouts and bacon appetizers) to cauliflower (showing up in everything from pizza crusts to cauliflower “wings”) have had their time in the plant-based spotlight. But consumers always want fresh, new, innovative ideas. A whopping 87% of consumers say they are interested in seeing more trends at restaurants next year.² 

So what’s next? Enter lentils. Not only do 73% of consumers want to eat more lentils at restaurants, but a whopping 96% of them say they are healthy.¹ Consumers are seeing lentils showing up on more menus, in a wider range of products, and across social media as a filling, protein-forward, plant-based option. “Lentils have become more trendy since the promotion of the plant-based diet has become more popular in the last few years,” one consumer told us. So it’s not surprising that well over half – 53% – of consumers say they are eating more pulses specifically as they lean into plant-forward diets.¹ 

The key to reach a wider audience with any plant-forward option is that it has to taste good – most consumers don’t want to sacrifice taste in order to eat healthier. That’s why plant-based offerings with a touch of indulgence – comforting burgers, sauce-soaked cauliflower wings, brussels sprouts with a healthy dose of bacon – have hit the mainstream. Hearty, filling, nutty lentils fit right into craveable plant-forward dishes like lentil tacos and nachos, comforting lentil pasta dishes and soups, and crispy lentil fritters. Plus, they are a natural part of bold global dishes that are authentically plant-forward.  

2. Play With Texture 

“What’s the secret to the best food? It’s not just taste. It’s texture,” proclaims Joshua Weissman, the YouTube chef with nearly 10 million followers. So when he needed an idea to focus on as a follow-up to his first, best-selling cookbook, he turned to texture. “When flavor meets textures like creamy, chewy, or crunchy, the eating experience evolves into something entirely new and utterly fantastic,” he says in Texture Over Taste. “Flavor is one thing, but texture is what really makes the experience complete.” 

Thoughtful texture development is often a clear differentiator in foodservice, where a chef’s experience and training has given them an innate understanding of how to build dishes that showcase a range of textures. But consumers need those new, exciting textural experiences now more than ever. Growing up in an age of abundance and culinary creativity, they have more access to a wider range of texturally interesting foods and dishes than ever before. They’re experimenting with new, novel, and fun textures all the time, from crunchy-yet-gummy candies to chewy boba. That’s particularly true for younger generations, who like to get hands-on with experiences (think fidget spinners and the resurgence of slime) and may need a dish to stand out in today’s over-stimulated world. A dish has to be interesting and exciting enough to pull their attention away from all of those screens (Gen Z’s daily average screen time is a whopping 7 hours and 7 minutes³). 

The textural opportunities are one reason why many chefs are showcasing lentils in a variety of menu options. Through a range of preparations, lentils can showcase just about any texture you can imagine – crispy, chewy, soft, liquid, crunchy, thick, etc. Think about a perfectly al dente base of lentils in a power bowl, or a crunchy lentil chip or fritter giving a crispy texture to a handheld. Fried, sprouted, coated, boiled, pureed – play with prep methods and lentils can be a textural powerhouse for menu development.  

1 in 4 consumers says a premium or gourmet dish MUST feature a variety of textures.¹  

3. Next-Level Global Flavors 

If there has been one factor that has been single-handedly responsible for many of the trends and so much of the innovation in the food industry in recent years, it has been the impact of global flavors. In many ways, global cuisines are simply how consumers eat today. In a single week they may have tacos, ramen, hummus, spaghetti, and boba tea – or even a single day. As information and communication happens instantaneously, consumers have more of an opportunity than ever before to discover new cuisines, ingredients, and flavors – and to share them with others. Changing demographics in the U.S. also mean that consumers are always demanding new, more authentic culinary experience as they learn about them from friends and family. 

But, as with plant-based options, consumers are always looking for something new. With 87% of consumers wanting new trends in the year ahead, and so many trends coming from global cuisines, it’s no surprise that a whole new generation of global flavors are appearing on menus.² These may be regional dishes from popular cuisines (think Sicilian dishes from Italy or Cantonese dishes from China), next-level ingredients and dishes from cuisines consumers know (burrata as a next-level version of mozzarella), or brand new flavors and options that consumers are discovering for the first time (like Korean salted egg flavor).  

Lentils are an authentically global ingredient that are a natural part of a wide range of global cuisines, including many next-level foods and flavors that can keep the menu interesting. Consider options like sopa de lentejas, or Mexican lentil soup; a rich Indian dal; or a lentil-driven mujadara mixing together rice and lentils with crispy fried onions. In fact, many consumers are already discovering these dishes on social media, where chefs and home cooks showcase recipes that they grew up with, like Greek or Turkish lentil soup, the Egyptian street food koshari, lentil curries from Sri Lanka, or even modern global dishes like lentil ragus in Italy.   

As a starting point, consider Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, or Indian cuisines, the three cuisines that consumers most associate with lentils that are also next-level global cuisines driving new flavors and ideas on menus today.  

4. The Demand for Natural 

Which of these foods do the most consumers consider to be unsafe to eat? 

1. Trans fats 
2. High fructose corn syrup 
3. Lab-grown meats 
4. Ultra-processed foods 
5. Synthetic food dyes 

If you answered d) ultra-processed foods, you were correct. Two-thirds of consumers say that ultra-processed foods are unsafe to eat, more than any other option.⁴ After years of seeing plant-based alternatives that clearly didn’t come from nature, and while they’re being told that lab-grown foods are on the way, many consumers are now seeking out natural, clean label, minimally-processed foods. In fact, 92% of consumers are interested in whole/unprocessed foods, while over half of consumers say they already eat them always or often.¹  

How are they defining natural or clean label? It many cases, it may be the old “can I pronounce it?” test when it comes to ingredients that are in the foods they are enjoying. They may also be looking for house-made or scratch-made menu options in foodservice that are clearly natural – a house-made lentil burger instead of a plant-based meat analog burger, for instance.  

Lentils pack a one-two punch – they’re a natural, minimally-processed ingredient that consumers feel good about choosing and they want to see them on more menus.  A sustainable powerhouse tool for your foodservice menu, lentils not only sink more carbon than is emitted during production, but also create their own fertilizer, among many other soil benefiting practices. Delicious, chef-driven dishes that utilize lentils in unique ways can give consumers the minimally processed options that they feel good about eating in menu options that are enticing and craveable. Plus, they’re not only natural, but they pack a lot of other health benefits in as well. Over half of consumers say lentils are high in protein and fiber (55% and 52% say so, respectively), while nearly 40% say they’re low in fat.¹ Consumers are right on track since lentils pack in 12 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber in a ½ cup cooked serving, meaning there is a natural health halo to lentils where consumers understand that they are indeed healthy, without having to call it out on your menu. 

It’s time to put the plant back in plant-forward with house-made lentil burgers. Instead of ultra-processed meat analogs, flex your culinary muscles and create a bespoke lentil burger that is unique to your brand and operation, with the flavor and filling protein associated with lentils offered in a feel-good minimally-processed option. When we asked consumers which type of plant-based burgers they want on menus, two-thirds said they wanted house-made lentil burgers or house-made lentil burgers blended with meat, while only 13% wanted pre-purchased options and 7% wanted a meat substitute.¹  

5. Menus Cool Down – and Heat Up Again 

Seasonality is key on menus today. As we have become a nation of foodies and consumers have sought out local, farm-to-table, ingredient-driven foods, they are also demanding a renewed focus on seasonality. That’s also how many chefs prefer to cook today, taking inspiration from the changes in what’s available each season. Now many chefs and operators are even introducing micro-seasonal menus, focusing on options that are available between seasons (an “early spring” or “late summer” menu) or even ingredients that are only available for a very short amount of time (like ramps or morels).  

There’s also a “specialness” to seasonality, driving the launch of a range of seasonal LTOs that diners rush to try before they’re gone again until next year. Indeed, holidays and seasons have taken on even more importance in consumers’ lives as they seek out an escape from anxiety and lingering concerns.  

Broadly speaking in terms of trends, however, you can divide seasonal trends into warm weather and cool weather months – and there are very different factors at play in each.  

As the warm weather months have been getting hotter and hotter – and staying hotter for longer periods of time – refreshing options have taken on even more importance. Is it any wonder that iced coffee demand is growing faster than hot coffee demand, with Starbucks reporting that iced drinks now make up an astonishing three-quarters of their U.S. beverage sales.⁵ 

With consumers wanting to see lentils on the menu year-round (44% said they wanted them on the menu throughout the year, more than chose any specific season¹), there are clear opportunities for cool, refreshing lentil options on spring and summer menus. When we asked consumers which lentil dishes should appear on the menu during these months, salads came out on top, though summer soups (think bold flavors, global options, and chilled soups), sides, pastas, wraps, burgers, appetizers, and bowls were also mentioned. Overall, 42% of consumers want lentils featured in salads on menus, while 41% want them in power bowls.¹ 

On cold weather menus during the fall and winter, another trend is at play: coziness as an aesthetic (or cozy is “aesthetic” as the kids say on TikTok). Today’s consumers embrace a range of vibes, “cores,” and trends associated with these months, like cottagecore, “Strega Noga Fall” (inspired by the children’s book about a cozy pasta-making witch), “soup girl season,” and the #SweaterWeather hashtag. They’re embracing these chances to escape from the grind and fast pace of modern life and connect with others who share the same lifestyle – soups and stews, cottages in the woods, comfy sweaters, reading a book by the fire, etc. And they seek out these options earlier and earlier each year, with fall menus and Halloween options appearing in July and August (not to mention the growth of “Summerween”).  

So give consumers the cozy aesthetic they want in the fall and winter. Lentils should be a default ingredient in hearty cold weather dishes, whether that’s soups and stews (menu must-haves for fall and winter), hearty lentil pastas, rich global curries, or fall and winter salads with lots of grains and squashes. Lentils are filling and rich, making them a go-to option for comforting cold weather dishes.  

38% of consumers say a cozy winter or fall meal is a good occasion for lentils.¹

1. Lentils.org Consumer Survey, August 2024 
2. Menu Matters Consumer Survey, July 2024 
3. DCDX Gen Z Screen Time Report, 2023 
4. Menu Matters Consumer Survey, December 2024 
5. “It’s Iced Coffee Season All Year Now,” CNN, August 2023