Millennials – those age 22 to 35 – are a driving force in our world today. They are in tune with technology, the environment and their future, as well as the futures of their children and grandchildren. They are healthy eaters, physically active and faithful to preserving the environment. Millennials are better informed, better educated and possess the mentality that a healthy body, mind and spirit can lead to a healthy lifestyle.
These changes in mentality and behavior should come as no surprise. Many millennials are leading the way eating vegetarian and vegan foods for many reasons. Good nutrition and better health are, of course, the leading factors, but millennials are also influenced by their concern for animals, wasted resources to mass produce foods and other costly outcomes to future generations and the environment. It seems that most millennials understand and accept that it will cost more to eat healthy, but it could be even more costly in the long term if we don’t make changes now. According to the Organic Trade Association, 52% of organic consumers are millennials and they eat 52% more vegetables.
Though drastic changes are not taking place overnight, we would like to take a look at some of the ways Millennials are influencing our lives. Perhaps you have already been adopting some of these new habits yourself. We have noted many individuals outside the Millennial generation already declaring the benefits of plant-based-food diets! For good reason too, as many are raving about feeling better with more energy and endurance. And, eating out or take out, from the now “fast casual” to “farm-to-table”, has never been easier and more acceptable. Millennials have brought about the mentality that shop, chop and prepare is no longer necessary to eating healthy foods.
And the business world is definitely taking notice of these changes. If you still crave kitchen action, grocery stores have adjusted to stock lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and numerous plant-based-food items. But should you not have the time or inclination to shop for the ingredients, there are online companies that will deliver to your door all the high-quality or organic foods you will need to cook a complete meal. Other companies will even deliver the meal already assembled and cooked, you just heat and serve – all healthy, even plant-based, meals.
There has also been an explosion of restaurants offering healthier choices and those catering to vegetarian and vegan diets. As mentioned before, the “fast-casual” chains are expected to soon overtake the fast food industry by offering healthy food on-the-go, allowing them to become one of the primary options for millennials.
Wellness seems to be a daily, active pursuit for millennials. Healthy food choices are extremely important to their physical and mental health, to the point that they embrace this as a lifestyle and not as a goal-driven “diet”. Their lifestyle also includes regular exercise and not smoking. Technology has enabled greater access to wellness information and actually put personal monitoring into the millennials’ hands! They are prioritizing health and wellness in their healthy lifestyle. Next week, we will take a look at millennials and their career well-being.
Have a great weekend!
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