With the new year on the horizon, we’ve put together our trend forecast for the better-for-you products and services we think will be big in 2020. With feedback from our international mom community and exposure to the latest releases at various trade shows throughout the year, here are our predictions for the coming year.

1. Climate-Friendly Foods

Industrial agriculture is a big contributor to greenhouse gas, stripping the soil of its ability to draw down carbon and contaminating our oceans with fertilizer runoff creating massive dead zones. The solution to this issue is widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture that restores degraded soil, leading to nutrient-rich foods, more carbon drawdown, and cleaner waterways. 

Companies are awakening to this dire need by producing regeneratively-grown food. Look for labels like Regenerative Organic Certified used by Dr. Bronner’s, Demeter Certified Biodynamic like White Leaf Provision Baby Food (also certified Glyphosate Residue Free) and Sustainably Grown Certified. Other brands leading the way in regenerative agriculture include MegaFood, Sambazon, Annie’s, and much more. 

2. Probiotic Cleaners and Sanitizers

From the Moms Meet WOW Summit to Natural Products Expo East, probiotic cleaners have taken the spotlight as a natural alternative to harsh cleaners that give your surfaces and skin a good clean without the harmful side effects. Notable products include Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizer, Healthy Homes TX Probiotic Cleaning Services, MotherDirt AO+ Mist Live Probiotic Spray, and Aunt Fannie’s Microcosmic Probiotic Power Multi-Surface Cleaner. 

3. CBD Products

CBD oil has exploded in popularity over the past few years with no signs of slowing down. You can even find CBD for sale at your local gas station or through a highschool acquaintance on social media, which brings up a major concern–quality. We expect an emphasis on seed to shelf traceability, country of origin, and transparency to be a focus for brands in 2020. Companies already fitting this bill include PlusCBD Oil, Green Roads, CBDmd, and Medterra, amongst many others.

Look for flavored CBD drops like Social CBD Broad Spectrum drops, After Sun Topical Gel from Curaleaf Hemp, and various CBD oil products for pets. 

4. Keto-Certified Foods

According to a recent survey from Moms Meet, 56% of our audience are interested in trying keto-related products. While more education is certainly needed in this arena for those not familiar with the lifestyle, the keto diet has hit the mainstream. There is now even a Keto-Certified label available to brands to help you identify which of your grocery store purchases are compatible with your low carb, high-fat diet. Moms Meet Moms are currently sampling Keto-Certified Monk Fruit In The Raw Zero Calorie Sweetener.

5. Plant-Based Meats

The variety and availability of plant-based meat alternatives are quickly expanding. More restaurants are offering menu items that fit the bill and the grocery selection is flourishing even at conventional stores. Exciting brands like Alpha Foods offers a line of meatless burritos that taste like the real deal and Alpha Nuggets that look and taste like your kiddo’s favorites.

Moms Meet Moms recently tried Lightlife Plant-Based Burgers and loved how similar the taste and experience was to beef burgers. Beyond Meat The Beyond Burger, also sampled by our community, is now featured in multiple meal kit delivery services like Blue Apron and HelloFresh.

According to Whole Foods, the plant-based trend will go beyond soy in 2020 to include alternatives like pumpkin, avocado, hempseed, and golden chlorella. The Euromonitor estimates that the plant-based meat market will grow to $2.5 billion by 2023. 

6. Functional Beverages

According to a survey from Chicago data research firm SPINS, sales of functional beverages have increased by 5.9% to $27.2 billion this past year. More and more, consumers are looking to their liquids to give them added health benefits for optimal hydration, gut health, energy, and beyond.

Noteworthy products include VitaCup Probiotic Blend Infused Coffee Pods, which simplifies the morning routine by skipping the additional supplement. Or there’s Athletic Greens Ultimate Daily, a green powder that can be mixed with water, offering 75 vitamins and minerals supporting 5 critical areas of health. Those looking for healthy skin, nails, and joints are turning to options like ISOPURE Collagen that delivers collagen protein in a flavored drink powder.

7. Fermented Foods

Research has tied the microbiome to everything from digestive to immune health and beyond. Gut health is crucial to a healthy body and brands are beginning to respond in a big way with exciting products. While fermented foods are centuries old, drinks like Farmhouse Culture’s Gut Shot Fermented Veggie Drink are new. With increased awareness, consumers are gravitating towards established foods and drinks in the category including kombucha, kimchi, and sauerkraut.

8. Low-Sugar Foods Sans the Artificial Substitutes

As seen at The Sweets & Snacks Expo and the 2019 NACS Show, low-sugar foods are high in demand. A recent Gallup poll shows that over half of American adults are actively avoiding sugar in their diet. While consumers are looking to cut the sugar, they don’t want to replace it with harmful additives. Instead, they are opting for sweeteners like Swerve, sampled by Moms Meet members, made from erythritol, prebiotic fibers, and natural flavor that tastes and bakes like real sugar.

Anyone looking to ditch their current beverage sweetener can turn to Swirl, a zero sugar simple syrup. Notable low-sugar products include Rip Van Wafels that utilizes monk fruit for sweetness and only has one gram of sugar and Two Good yogurt, sweetened with stevia.

9. Mocktails and Alcohol-Free Drinks

With a booming wellness movement, it’s no wonder that more individuals are looking to unwind sans the hangover. Often dubbed the “sober curious movement”, the options for non-alcoholic drinkers have sprung open. With sober social groups, bars catering to the sober community, and delicious concoctions like Bar None Non-Alcoholic Cocktails and Dry Sparkling Soda, living without alcohol is refreshingly mainstream. 

10. Fresh Convenient Meals & Snacks

Millennials are health-minded and on the go, making them big proponents of nutritious prepared food. A recent study from Economic Research Services found that millennials buy more prepared foods than all other age groups.

According to Whole Foods, the refrigerated aisle is growing with fresh snack options with simple, minimal ingredients to fuel these consumer’s busy days. Our moms are eager to adopt this new trend, trying foods like Fruitlove Spoonable Smoothies and Wildscape Meals. They are keen to discover more time-saving, healthy options for their busy families in 2020.