It’s January, that time of year to look forward to the year ahead. My last post  discussed two of the things we’re looking forward to this year: regulations on school meals and competitive foods in schools. But what about some of the trends in food and nutrition? And how will they affect dairy products this year? After looking over a number of predictions for the upcoming year, I listed some of the trends that could become important to dairy in 2012.

• Unprocessed, Natural Foods: Over the past few years, consumers have been looking for natural, minimally processed and local foods, and they are expected to continue to do this in 2012. None of these terms has an official definition, so consumers could have their own understanding of what foods meet these goals. But milk is minimally processed, and many milks, cheeses, yogurts and some ice creams are also natural products.
• One Product, Many Benefits: Consumers are looking for products that provide a number of benefits, increasing the nutritional “bang for the buck.” They need more vitamins, minerals and fiber in their diets, but consumers don’t necessarily want to eat more foods to get these beneficial nutrients. Nutrient-dense foods and beverages that provide multiple nutrients in one package, like dairy products, are the perfect way to meet this need.
• Cost Savings: In addition to getting a nutritional bang for their buck, consumers also will be looking for financial bang for their buck at the grocery store. Many dairy products are sold as private label, which is one of the methods many consumers use to save money. Emphasizing the widespread nutritional and health benefits of dairy products or the way that dairy products can replace more expensive food products, such as cheese as a protein source in a meal instead of meat, can help consumers understand the great deal that dairy can provide.
• Lower Nutrients of Concern: Public health experts and consumers are concerned about intake of trans fat, saturated fat, added sugar and sodium. Proposed front-of-pack symbols will emphasize lower levels of these nutrients, adding pressure on companies to reduce levels in their products. While dairy has very little trans fat, some products may have significant levels of saturated fat, added sugars or sodium that could be reduced to become more attractive options for consumers.

Happy New Year and all the best to you in 2012!