Gen Z is conscious of making food choices that bolster their physical and mental health, with a focus on digestive and gut health. They look for menu items made with organic, fresh, and sustainable ingredients. This attention to health often begins during the teenage years and becomes more refined as they mature.
While some choose to limit the source of their foods, that does not mean that Gen Z consumers are picky eaters. In fact, the majority of Gen Z consumers are extremely willing to try out new foods, and a whopping 96% are at least open to the idea of expanding their palates.
Gen Z doesn't just use social media as a content consumption tool—it's a platform for building communities. Gen Z values two-way communication and thrives on interactivity. Interactive elements—like polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions—have become essential parts of their media experience for over 43% of respondents.
Anxiety, depression, burnout, and loneliness have become common struggles for this generation, and it's not just because they're “too online” or “too sensitive” (as some might claim).
They spend more on each meal, they cook adventurously, and they cook more for friends – at least three times more often than Gen X and four times more often than Boomers. They cook spicier food, more seafood, more plant-based proteins and more meals outdoors than any other generation.
Their preferences and eating habits are slightly different than that of Millennials. Gen Z is focused on sustainability, health, and wellness. Their food choices are more likely than any previous generation to embrace flexitarian eating habits — on-and-off vegan or vegetarian lifestyles.
Generation Z prefers security in all areas of life, which may lead to higher levels of stress and make them appear older than they actually are. It is also a generation that is driven by digital content and therefore experiences stress more often.
Dubbed the “Anxious Generation,” Gen Z is facing an unprecedented mental-health crisis. According to the Walton Family Foundation, 42% of Gen Zers struggle with depression, nearly double the rate of Americans over age 25.
Like millennials, Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012), are more likely to prioritize eating healthy and getting regular exercise, however, they also prioritize their mental health and managing stress.
That varies by generation, however: Gen Z expects to retire at age 60, Boomers at 72, Millennials at 64 and Gen X at 67. 32% of Millennials and 30% of Gen Z expect to live to 100 – higher than the 22% of Gen X and 21% of Boomers who expect to become a centenarian.
A significant subset of young adults, 23 percent, said having children was irresponsible due to climate change, according to a recent Newsweek/Independent Center poll. The same Newsweek report found one in three Gen Zers and millennials do not have and do not want to have children.
Both generations are dealing with financial challenges, such as debt and high living costs. Technology plays a key role in how these generations get food. Gen X, though often overlooked, are actually the highest spenders when it comes to dining out.
The "gen Z stare" is the blank, expressionless stare some gen Zers will give in place of a greeting or small talk. It is commonly delivered by people working in customer service jobs. According to KnowYourMeme, the first known mention of the gen Z stare appeared on TikTok on July 29, 2024, in a post by @meghan.
They are constantly connected to others through technology, frequently on the go, and extremely tech-savvy. As a result, Gen Z is often lauded for being entrepreneurial, innovative, and open-minded.
Gen Z is picky about flavors but wants natural ingredients in their snacks, such as veggies, fruits, or legumes. There's a recent rise in mindful snacking practices through portion control and combining food groups without compromising flavors.
In Gen Z slang, “I ate” means “I did that really well” or “I nailed it.” For example, “I should eat… I ATE 💅” would mean you did something flawlessly or confidently.
Gen Z is a failure at cooking — even whipping up a simple egg is 'too stressful,' they admit. They're not exactly egg-celling in the kitchen. Just in case Gen La-Z wasn't struggling enough with “adulting,” more than two-thirds of Zoomers lack basic cooking skills, including tasks as simple as making an omelet.
Almost 50% of Gen Zers expect to retire before age 60, 3 in 4 are planning to retire with less than 70% of their working income and 61% expect to fund less than half of their retirement saving from personal savings (vs social security or pensions).
Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1990s as starting birth years and the early 2010s as ending birth years, with the generation loosely being defined as people born around 1997 to 2012.
Gen Z largely voted Democratic before 2024, reflecting their progressive values. The generation was once described as "pro-government" and sometimes referred to as "the most progressive generation ever."
