Highlights:
- Millennial parents are looking for healthy food for their children that focuses on growth and immune support.
- Convenient, on-the-go kid's food is gaining popularity due to the busy lives of their millennial parents.
What Millennial Parents Want from Children's Food Products
Nutritional products for kids have moved beyond the snacks and drinks they enjoyed as children. Millennial parents want options that are more nutritious. Explore how nutrition is playing a larger role in children’s products today.
Millennials are a top priority for many marketers of today. Once characterized as young and unattached, they’ve grown up and are now busy raising children of their own. As the oldest among them turned 40 this year, family life looks a lot different than what they may have seen growing up.
According to research by the Pew Research Center, 55% of millennials are in a family. Although they trail behind older generations due to many delaying marriage and starting families.1
Millennial parents are dialed into their children’s food and beverage choices and prioritize nutrition as their child ages.2 However, many recognize that can be a challenge. According to the most recent International Food Information Council Report, 40% of parents agreed it is difficult to monitor children’s nutritional needs.3 Many turn to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, with 57% of those who are aware of the guidelines indicating it helped them make smarter choices for their family and kids.4
With more than half of US parents indicating they look at product labels, most are looking to limit sugar in their children’s diet.5 Among top concerns for parents when purchasing food & beverage, growth & development, immune health and child’s preferences are the top 3.6
Gain inspiration for your next children’s food product by reviewing our latest product concepts made for growing bodies and growing minds.
But millennial parents are busy, too. When shopping for food for their children, millennial parents are looking for nutritional content and convenience. Single-serving, healthy food products that can be tucked into a child’s lunch box—think pre-cut vegetable packs, pre-sliced fruits, fruit cups, dried fruit, and no-sugar-added juice boxes—are especially attractive, as are highly fortified foods. Additionally, most children take at least one form of a dietary supplement.7
Custom Premixes Help Food Manufactures Create Products that Appeal to the Health Conscious Parent
With 51% of parents indicating supplements are a way for them to fill nutrient gaps in their children’s diets, parent must be looking for more options. There is often a need to provide nutrients that otherwise would not be consumed readily and that’s how fortification comes into play.
When vitamins, minerals, and functional ingredients are added to a food product, they must be added in precisely the right amount, in the proper chemical form, and at the right time during your production process to achieve accurate fortification. Like children, every food, beverage or supplement product and process is unique, there is no single formula to satisfy every need. Glanbia Nutritionals is here to support the development of your formulation with many Custom Premix Solution to meet your fortification goals. We have the solutions and expertise to bring you value throughout the entire premix process. Whatever your stage of product development, for whatever application, contact us to find the solution that’s right for you.