# Portioned Indulgence Seeking techniques for portion control, parents turn to playful food shapers. By [Tana Makmanee](https://www.trendhunter.com/tmak), SVP, Research Services at Trend Hunter | Published Apr 21, 2014 | Category: [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/pro/category/modern-art-and-design-trends) Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/portioned-indulgence ## Key Figures - Trend score: 2.9/10 - Evidence articles: 5 ## What is the Portioned Indulgence trend? **Portioned Indulgence:** As the rate of child obesity continues to rise in North America, efforts to educate children on nutrition and portion control are becoming more common. Seeking to cut back on oversized meals without sacrificing quality, parents are turning to humorous food shapers to provide infants with visually stimulating, yet carefully rationed sources of indulgence. Playful methods of portion control reflect the urgency of battling child obesity. ## At a Glance - Evidence: 5 featured examples - Articles from: Feb 12, 2013 to Feb 23, 2014 - Published: Apr 21, 2014 - Patterns: [Convergence](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/convergence), [Acceleration](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/acceleration) - Megatrends: [Hybridization](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/hybridization), [Personalization](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/personalization) ## Audience - Gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Gen Alpha, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Themes within the Portioned Indulgence trend ### Playful Food Shapers As parents turn to humorous food shapers to provide children with visually stimulating, yet carefully rationed sources of indulgence, businesses can innovate by creating playful and practical tools for portion control, that will entice not just children but even adults. ### Hollow Casts for Baking Hollow cake molds could create new opportunities for culinary creativity around 3D cake designs and offer new possibilities for decorating, creating diverse and memorable characters. ### Edible Art for Picky Eaters The use of fun cutters and molds for food can inspire children's imagination and enthusiasm for organic, fresh and healthy food, paving the way for creative combinations of food and art. ## What the Portioned Indulgence trend means for industry ### For Kitchen Gadgets Innovative kitchen gadgets that utilize shapes, images and colors are ideal for parents who want to make healthy food look appealing to kids and offer endless opportunities for fun, imaginative, and healthy cooking. ### For Party Decorating Hollow cake molds are an ideal way to create memorable 3D cakes for children's birthdays, and can be matched with colorful decorating tools for an outstanding party experience. ### For Educational Toys Humorous molds and cutters that foster kids' imagination and creativity give rise to new opportunities for play, food-related activities and training in sensory discrimination. ## Trend signals for Portioned Indulgence Trend score 2.9 out of 10, from popularity 30%, activity 48%, freshness 8%. - Popularity: 30% - Activity: 48% - Freshness: 8% ## Examples of the Portioned Indulgence trend 5 featured examples from Feb 12, 2013 to Feb 23, 2014. - [Dinosaur Sandwich Cutters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sandwich-cutters): The Perpetual Kid Bread Mold Makes Lunches More Fun for Everyone (Category: Art & Design) Implication: Kitchenware companies can develop new and innovative products, such as these dinosaur sandwich cutters, to enhance the experience of cooking and eating at home. - [3D Baking Monster Shapes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-cake-molds): Make Fun and Tasty Treats with 3D Cake Molds (Category: Life-Stages) Implication: Disruptive innovation opportunity: Use 3D-printed baking molds in bakeries to create unique cakes that are visually appealing to customers and stand out in a crowded market. - [Adorable Egg-Shaping Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cute-egg-molds): These Egg Molds Turn Your Eggs into Cute Little Critters (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: Designing and manufacturing tools that make food preparation more inventive and engaging, such as egg molds. - [Adorable Owl-Eyed Breakfasts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/owl-egg-shaper): This Owl Egg Shaper Will Make Every Morning a Hoot (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: Opportunities for kitchenware companies to introduce innovative and creative egg shaping products. - [Fantastical Food Shapers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/funbites): FunBites Transforms Any Food into Edible Art for Picky Eaters (Category: Life-Stages) Implication: The FunBites food shapers can spark innovation in the food gadget industry, offering a unique and appealing product for picky eaters and food enthusiasts. ## Recent trend clusters - [Sensory Packaging](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/sensory-packaging) (Art & Design) - [Smart Utility](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/smart-utility) (Autos) - [Fixable Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/fixable-devices) (Tech) - [Circular Simplicity](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/circular-simplicity) (Eco) ## Trending in Art & Design - [Fruit-Inspired Cleaning Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vilada-punch) - [Electrically Powered Airline Seats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/premium-economy-seat) - [Textural Furniture Ranges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fall-designs-blu-dot) - [Recycled Neon Light Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/encore-encore) All articles: [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign)