5 Foods We’ll Be Eating More of This Year

New year, new food trends! Now that 2025 has officially begun, it’s time to predict what the next 12 months will look like in terms of what we eat and the foods we buy at the grocery store. To help us get a better understanding of what lies ahead on that front, we turned to Kroger’s report on the top five food trend predictions for 2025. The predictions were expertly crafted by Kroger’s industry-leading team of food experts, including product developers, chefs, buyers, culinary specialists, and more.

According to the supermarket chain, which operates approximately 1,230 stores across the country, 2025 is the year of brine, spicy peppers, and more. Here’s a bit of what you can expect to see on grocery store shelves this year.

Food Dupes

Trader Joe’s is full of food dupes—items very similar to popular name-brand products—and in 2025, it seems other grocery stores (like Kroger) will be too. In many cases, these dupes are just as good (if not better) than the food they are meant to mimic, and they cost significantly less. “Expect more shoppers to regularly choose store-brand alternatives instead of national brands, as well as continued private-label innovation to match the customer demand,” the report notes. Expect to see items such as Kroger’s Cheese & Uncured Bacon Egg Bites—a Starbucks egg bite dupe—and more.

Bold and Briny

If 2024 was all about cucumbers, 2025 is poised to be the year of the pickle and other briny delights. As the trend report puts it, ”On the horizon for 2025 is an increased use of super briny foods like olives, pickles, sauerkraut and kimchi.” As a shopper, this means you’ll be spotting foods like Trader Joe’s Lemon Stuffed Olives and Kroger’s Breaded Dill Pickle Chips on store shelves. 

The Protein Renaissance

Everyone is obsessed with protein these days, and supermarkets are responding with a new slate of protein-packed products, as the key nutrient promotes satiety and is beneficial for one’s overall health. As consumers, you can expect to encounter products that go beyond old mainstays like cottage cheese and chicken, such as Costco’s Alderwood Smoked Salmon Fillets and Kroger’s Simple Truth Buttermilk Vanilla Protein Waffles. As you may have guessed, both items are excellent sources of protein.

Pepper Palette

Get ready, peppers, 2025 is your year to shine! “Customers shifted from chasing the highest Scoville ratings to now exploring how heat maximizes flavor. And delving into spices and peppers from international cuisines—like Calabrian chiles, guajillo peppers, and hatch chiles—allows them to do so,” the report states. “As spice aficionados continue to experiment, expect emerging pepper varieties to appear in familiar products like wings, pizza, and pasta.” To experience this trend firsthand, look out for products like Trader Joe’s Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese, and Kroger’s Private Selection Hot Pepper Bacon Spread.

Hail, Caesar

Caesar salad is having a moment, and it looks like that moment is expected to carry well into 2025. However, expect to see those classic Caesar flavors go well beyond salad this year. Per the trends report: “Beyond traditional salads and wraps, recipes featuring Caesar dressing on pizza, pasta, and a variety of leafy greens beyond romaine lettuce are gaining popularity. Look forward to creative combinations of the umami-rich dressing with flavors like miso, tahini, and black garlic, as customers breathe new life into the century-old recipe.” Get in on the Caesar craze with items like Aldi’s Simply Nature Organic Caesar Dressing and Kroger’s Flat Anchovies in Olive Oil & Salt.