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Top 100 Food Trends in September

From Snackable Lobster Bites to Bunless Plant-Based Burgers

— October 15, 2021 — Lifestyle
The September 2021 food trends present a variety of notable developments and innovations across a wide range of food industry categories. From clever grab-and-go meals and keto-friendly alternatives to brownie batter-infused milkshakes and digitized restaurant makeovers -- there were a seemingly endless number of exciting trends for foodies to sink their teeth into this month.

A standout theme within this collection, however, comes from the prevalence of newly launched meat-free alternatives. A&W partnered with Beyond Meat to release extra-crispy, vegan chicken nuggets, Burger King unveiled a bunless plant-based burger, and the 'Impossible Sausage' finally got a nationwide retail launch.

In a similar vein, numerous better-for-you snacks were released this month. Chef Protein launched a series of healthy, protein-packed dressing and sauce alternatives, while Calbee Harvest introduced a range of chip-like lentil crisps. Within the kids food category, Pure Flavor released nano-sized cucumbers, designed for back-to-school lunches, and a new healthy kids meal-kit brand called Sunnie opened in Canada.
6.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
98
Plant-Based Comfort Meals
Plant-Based Comfort Meals
Freshly's Plant-Based Line Features Clean, Whole Food Ingredients
<
97
Keto Brownie Bites
Keto Brownie Bites
LUNA's Low-Carb Treats are Made with Almond Flour
<
96
Low-Glycemic Ayurvedic Protein Bars
Low-Glycemic Ayurvedic Protein Bars
These New Bars are Low in Sugar and High in Ashwagandha
<
95
Food Flavoring Innovations
Food Flavoring Innovations
Wixon Has Launched a New Flavor Technology Called 'FlavorFresh SR'
<
94
Keto-Friendly Organic Snacks
Keto-Friendly Organic Snacks
Keto Queen Kreations Offers a Range of Sweet Desserts
<
93
Plant-Based Egg Alternatives
Plant-Based Egg Alternatives
Nabati Foods Launches a Plant-Based Egg That is Healthy and Flavorful
<
92
Free Pizza Menus
Free Pizza Menus
Domino's is Giving Away Millions in Free Food to Randomly Selected Customers
<
91
Plant-Based Shrimp Bowls
Plant-Based Shrimp Bowls
Clo-Clo Vegan Foods' Bowls Use Konjac Root as a Seafood Alternative
<
90
Baby-Friendly Baking Mixes
Baby-Friendly Baking Mixes
Happy Baby Made Simple Mixes Support Healthy Development in Kids
<
89
On-the-Go French Toast Breakfasts
On-the-Go French Toast Breakfasts
The Hardee's French Toast Dips Offer a Convenient Breakfast
<
88
Lentil-Based Snack Ranges
Lentil-Based Snack Ranges
The Calbee Harvest Snaps Range is Launching in the UK
<
87
Old-Fashioned Curling Pepperoni Pizzas
Old-Fashioned Curling Pepperoni Pizzas
The Little Caesars Pepperoni Palooza Pizza is Crispy
<
86
Mini Cheese-Packed QSR Tacos
Mini Cheese-Packed QSR Tacos
The Jack in the Box Spicy Tiny Tacos Come in Two Options
<
85
Cocktail-Inspired Chocolate Bites
Cocktail-Inspired Chocolate Bites
After Eight Mojito & Mint Offers a Crisp, Refreshing Flavor
<
84
Boba-Infused Ice Creams
Boba-Infused Ice Creams
Magnolia's Boba Ice Cream is Full of Fun Flavors & Textures
<
83
Crispy Thin Snack Bars
Crispy Thin Snack Bars
CLIF Bar Thins are Slimmed-Down Snacks with Just 100 Calories Per Two Bars
<
82
Plant-Based Chicken Nuggets
Plant-Based Chicken Nuggets
The Beyond Meat A&W Vegan Chicken Tenders are a Limited Time Offer
<
81
Flash-Frozen Lobster Pastas
Flash-Frozen Lobster Pastas
Cadence Kitchen's Lobster Tortellini Elevates Frozen Food Options
<
80
Functional Plant-Based Tonics
Functional Plant-Based Tonics
Plants By People Tonic Comes in Powdered Single Servings
<
79
Clean-Label Protein Powders
Clean-Label Protein Powders
Ascent Plant Protein Supports Cleaning Eating
<
78
Breakfast-Inspired Cookies
Breakfast-Inspired Cookies
Insomnia Cookies is Celebrating Back-to-School with New Sweets
<
77
Snack Cake Breakfast Products
Snack Cake Breakfast Products
These New Hostess Breakfast Snacks Offer Twists on Favorites
<
76
Monstrous Hybrid Breakfast Cereals
Monstrous Hybrid Breakfast Cereals
The General Mills Monster Mash Cereal Features Retro Branding
<
75
Holiday-Ready Candy Products
Holiday-Ready Candy Products
The 2021 Mondelēz International Christmas Products Have Been Unveiled
<
74
Better-for-You Glazed Donuts
Better-for-You Glazed Donuts
Urban Legend Makes Treats with Less Sugar & a Patented Steam Process
<
73
Plant-Based Sausage Expansions
Plant-Based Sausage Expansions
The 'Impossible Sausage' Gets a Naionwide Grocery Store Launch
<
72
Globally Sourced Gourmet Chocolates
Globally Sourced Gourmet Chocolates
Marcolini Celebrates 20 Years with Grand Cru Chocolate Tablets
<
71
Smoked Cauliflower Steaks
Smoked Cauliflower Steaks
Lucille’s Slow-Smoked Cauliflower Steak is a Veg-Centered Entree
<
70
Premium Japanese Steak Meals
Premium Japanese Steak Meals
Yoshinoya Grilled Steak is Around for a Limited Time
<
69
Limited-Edition Tangy Snack Chips
Limited-Edition Tangy Snack Chips
Doritos Tangy Ranch is Arriving Alongside a Returning Favorite
<
68
Microdosed Cannabis Seltzers
Microdosed Cannabis Seltzers
Lift Seltzer Has 2mg of THC and 6mg of CBD Per Can
<
67
Clean-Label BBQ Sauces
Clean-Label BBQ Sauces
Born Simple's Clean Barbecue Sauces Avoid Unnecessary Extras
<
66
Triple-Patty Beer-Infused Burgers
Triple-Patty Beer-Infused Burgers
The Burger King Guinness Stacker is Arriving in South Korea
<
65
Starfruit-Infused Salad Bowls
Starfruit-Infused Salad Bowls
Sweetgreen's New Tropical Starfruit Bowl Features Fresh Fruits
<
64
Organic Premium Olive Oils
Organic Premium Olive Oils
Kosterina Launched a New Organic EVOO, Delivering on Taste & Refinement
<
63
Skull-Themed Toaster Pastries
Skull-Themed Toaster Pastries
The Limited-Edition Pop-Tarts Día de Muertos Box Honors Latinx Art
<
62
Double-Sized Breakfast Sandwiches
Double-Sized Breakfast Sandwiches
The Jack in the Box Stacked Croissant Sandwich is Tasty
<
61
Free-From Cookie Snacks
Free-From Cookie Snacks
REAL Cookies from Get Real Foods Come in Three Flavors
<
60
Snackable Lobster Bites
Snackable Lobster Bites
Long John Silver's Lobster Bites Tail Pack Has a Seafood-Inspired Form
<
59
Hashbrown-Infused Breakfast Casseroles
Hashbrown-Infused Breakfast Casseroles
Cracker Barrel Has a New Bacon n’ Egg Hashbrown Casserole
<
58
Fall-Themed At-Home Cafe Products
Fall-Themed At-Home Cafe Products
Starbucks Fall Grocery Store Products are Arriving This Month
<
57
Hybrid Pizza Calzones
Hybrid Pizza Calzones
Little Caesars' Crazy Calzony Shares a New Way to Enjoy Pizza
<
56
Chocolate-Covered Carrot Snacks
Chocolate-Covered Carrot Snacks
Rootles Come in Milk and Dark Chocolate Flavors
<
55
Hybrid Baked Good Desserts
Hybrid Baked Good Desserts
The Little Caesars Cookie Dough Brownie is Available Nationwide
<
54
Convenient Metabolism-Tracking Apps
Convenient Metabolism-Tracking Apps
Lumen Announced Its New Apple Watch App That Tracks Metabolism
<
53
Spiced Pumpkin Instant Noodles
Spiced Pumpkin Instant Noodles
Cup Noodles' Pumpkin Spice Ramen Flavor Speaks to Gen Z
<
52
Bunless Plant-Based Burgers
Bunless Plant-Based Burgers
Burger King Has Released the New Vegan 'Version 2 Whopper'
<
51
Halloween-Themed Chocolates
Halloween-Themed Chocolates
Hershey Co. Announces Fall Candy Line Including Kit Kat 'Witch's Brew'
<
50
Holiday Gifting Chocolate Products
Holiday Gifting Chocolate Products
These Ferrero Christmas Products are Arriving for 2021
<
49
Meme-Inspired Hot Dogs
Meme-Inspired Hot Dogs
Oscar Mayer Created "Hot Doge" Wieners to Raise Money for Charity
<
48
Bold Ice Cream Designs
Bold Ice Cream Designs
JDO Unveils Branding for Its New Plant-Based Ice Cream 'Idyll'
<
47
Reusable Bottle Birch Waters
Reusable Bottle Birch Waters
ÖselBirch x Andre Fangueiro Fermented Birch Water is Limited-Edition
<
46
Premium Textural Chocolate Bars
Premium Textural Chocolate Bars
These New Ferrero Rocher Chocolate Bars Come in Three Flavors
<
45
Chocolaty Reward Program Sodas
Chocolaty Reward Program Sodas
The Dr Pepper FANtastic Chocolate Soda Won't Be Available in Stores
<
44
Brownie Batter-Infused Shakes
Brownie Batter-Infused Shakes
Burger King's New Brownie Batter Shake is Rich and Creamy
<
43
Internationally Inspired Chocolate Products
Internationally Inspired Chocolate Products
The Ritter Sport 'Taste the World' Range is Accessible
<
42
Bite-Sized Veggie Snacks
Bite-Sized Veggie Snacks
Pure Flavor Launches Uno Bites 'Nano Cucumbers' For Back-To-School Season
<
41
Curated Food Delivery Platforms
Curated Food Delivery Platforms
'Foxtrot Anywhere' is a Delivery Service Favoring Local Businesses
<
40
Vegan-Friendly Bedtime Drinks
Vegan-Friendly Bedtime Drinks
The Sleep Well Oat Drink is Available at Holland & Barrett Stores
<
39
Organic Superfood Nut Bars
Organic Superfood Nut Bars
The YOE! Superfood Bars Help Support a Health-Focused Lifestyle
<
38
Patty Shaped Hot Dogs
Patty Shaped Hot Dogs
The Rastelli's Round Hot Dogs are Quick and Easy to Prepare
<
37
Musical Breakfast Cereal Boxes
Musical Breakfast Cereal Boxes
Reese’s Puffs Created Playful Packaging That Interacts with AR
<
36
Plant-Based Meal Lines
Plant-Based Meal Lines
Nestlé Brand 'Freshly' Debuts 100% Plant-Based Menu Called 'Purely Plant'
<
35
Green Marbled Restaurant Experiences
Green Marbled Restaurant Experiences
The Elgin Cafe Boasts an Emerald Green Marble Interior
<
34
Exclusive Pop-Up Diners
Exclusive Pop-Up Diners
The Amex Gold Card Pop-Up Diner Shares an Experience for Cardholders
<
33
Poppable Savory Clusters
Poppable Savory Clusters
Clif Pop'n Crunch Snacks are Crispy and Rich in Texture
<
32
Digestive Health-Focused Yogurts
Digestive Health-Focused Yogurts
The Gut Glory Yogurts Come in Two Pack Sizes
<
31
Empowering Children's Campaigns
Empowering Children's Campaigns
Rice Krispies Treats and Idina Menzel Look to Support School Kids
<
30
Mono-Material Baby Food Packaging
Mono-Material Baby Food Packaging
This Heinz Baby Food Pouch is Highly Recyclable
<
29
Chocolate Pizza Kits
Chocolate Pizza Kits
The Cadbury Pizza Kit Shares a Sweet Base, Sauce and Wine Gums Toppings
<
28
Immune Support CBD Lollipops
Immune Support CBD Lollipops
Feel Well Lollys Deliver Hemp-Derived CBD, B12, Zinc & Elderberry
<
27
Designer Ice Cream Bags
Designer Ice Cream Bags
Rebecca Minkoff and Magnum Ice Cream’s Debuted a New Insulated Handbag
<
26
Nutrient-Loaded Food Smashes
Nutrient-Loaded Food Smashes
Solvasa’s Fastify is Designed to Fight Stress Eating
<
25
In-Store Ghost Kitchens
In-Store Ghost Kitchens
Kroger & Kitchen United are Offering On-Demand Meal Pick Up and Delivery
<
24
Frozen Smoothie Pops
Frozen Smoothie Pops
reBLEND Smoothie Pops are Packed with Nutritious Superfood Ingredients
<
23
Child-Focused Immunity Support Drinks
Child-Focused Immunity Support Drinks
Actimel Kids Comes in Two Flavor Options
<
22
Health-Focused Cultural Centers
Health-Focused Cultural Centers
Triptyque Architecture's New Mixed-Use Complex Redefines Health
<
21
Functional Chocolate Supplements
Functional Chocolate Supplements
Fx Chocolate Supports Immune Health, Focus, Sleep & More
<
20
Automated Pizza-Making Machines
Automated Pizza-Making Machines
800 Degrees by Piestro Makes Custom Pizzas in 90 Seconds
<
19
Better-for-You Protein Sauces
Better-for-You Protein Sauces
Sauce by Chef Protein Features Zero Sugar and No Added Sugar
<
18
Sensorial Museum-Inspired Bars
Sensorial Museum-Inspired Bars
YOD Group Revealed its Mysterious Design for the Buddha-Bar Chain
<
17
Anime-Themed Instant Noodles
Anime-Themed Instant Noodles
Nissin Launches a Special Set of Neon Genesis Evangelion Cup Noodles
<
16
Robotic Pizza Makers
Robotic Pizza Makers
Food Automation Startup 'Picnic' Has Launched Its First Pizza Making Device
<
15
Fortune-Telling Chocolate Campaigns
Fortune-Telling Chocolate Campaigns
Cadbury Targets Millennials by Playfully Predicting the Future
<
14
Extreme Full English Breakfast Dishes
Extreme Full English Breakfast Dishes
Shepherds Place Farm Debuted the 'Terminator Armageddon'
<
13
Halloween Advent Calendars
Halloween Advent Calendars
Ferrero's Halloween Countdown Calendar is Full of Spooky Surprises
<
12
Walk-Thru Billboards
Walk-Thru Billboards
McDonald's Walk-Thru Billboard Serves Up McFlurrys in London
<
11
Playful Greengrocer Pop-Ups
Playful Greengrocer Pop-Ups
Anya Hindmarch Launches Local Grocery Shop Called 'Anya’s Fruit & Veg'
<
10
Fry Stealing Musicals
Fry Stealing Musicals
McDonald's 'Steal My Fries' Celebrates Friendship and Canada Reopening
<
9
Well-Balanced Kids Meal Kits
Well-Balanced Kids Meal Kits
Sunnie Disrupts the Kid's Food Space with Innovative To-Go Meals
<
8
Candy-Inspired Seasoning Shakers
Candy-Inspired Seasoning Shakers
The TWIX Sweet Seasoning Shaker is Layered with Flavor
<
7
Frozen Lobster Bites
Frozen Lobster Bites
SeaPak's Lobster & Shrimp Bites are Enhanced with Cheese & Shallots
<
6
Outdoor Recyclable Coolers
Outdoor Recyclable Coolers
The Wooly Eco-Friendly Cooler Uses Wool for Insulation
<
5
Ready-to-Eat Modular Meals
Ready-to-Eat Modular Meals
Squareat Aims to Disrupt the Food Industry with 50-Gram Squared Food
<
4
Exclusive Cookie Brand Cafes
Exclusive Cookie Brand Cafes
The Oreo Cafe Shares Limited-Edition Treats, Merch and More
<
3
Exclusive Collaborative Milk Shakes
Exclusive Collaborative Milk Shakes
Shake Shack and Milk Bar Introduce Two Limited Edition Shakes
<
2
Digitized Fast Food Restaurants
Digitized Fast Food Restaurants
The 'Taco Bell Defy' Store Offers an All-New Fast Food Experience
<
1
Croissant-Waffle Hybrids
Croissant-Waffle Hybrids
NYC's Croffle House Serves Sweet & Savory Croissant-Like Waffles
<