• by Teresa Buyikian , February 12, 2026

Fiber may be the new protein in terms of popularity, though “natural” meat is also making a huge comeback, according to a recent report from food industry data and insights provider Datassential.

The Datassential 2026 Trends Preview Report spotlights the trends heading into 2026. Increasing  consumer interest in fiber and meat seem to be of particular importance to QSRs and fast casual restaurants.

Overall, the report found  64% of consumers are looking forward to new food and beverage trends in 2026, with Gen Z (77%) and millennials (72%) more excited than Gen X (62%) and boomers (46%).

Fiber is swiping the main stage from protein, which the study partially attributes to the increasing focus on gut health, as well as on GLP-1s (apparently fiber can naturally increase GLP-1 hormones). Gen Z leads the pack in greatest interest in fiber-rich foods and beverages at 60%, slightly more than the 54% of all respondents interested in the same fiber options.

The report also found that 52% of all respondents, once they knew what it was, were interested in “fibermaxxing,” the social media trend of intentionally maximizing fiber intake to meet or exceed recommended levels. Only 12% of overall consumers knew beforehand what fibermaxxing was, and 21% of that comprised by Gen Z.

A decreasing interest in plant-based “meat” products has led to a resurgent focus on actual animal meat, with 65% of consumers saying they find animal meat more “’natural’ to consume than plant-based meat.” Sixty-one percent thought animal meat was more versatile than plant-based meat, and 59% said they “regularly crave animal meat,” even if they don’t even eat it. But a lot more people are eating it; 37% said they’ve increased their consumption of animal meat more than they’ve increased their consumption of plant-based “meat.”

The report was compiled from consumer data gathered from two online surveys in Sept. and Oct. 2025 of over 1,000 consumers and 359 foodservice operators, along with information from additional Datassential reports.