Solo dining surge challenges manufacturers to balance fiber with convenience

Solo dining is becoming an increasingly prominent eating occasion among younger consumers, creating opportunities for food manufacturers to deliver convenient, nutritious meal solutions. New research from Mars reveals that 45% of Gen Z and Millennials who eat alone do so more frequently than three years ago, highlighting a shift in eating habits, and a growing demand for healthier, low-effort meal options.

However, the research highlights a disconnect between consumers’ awareness of fiber’s health benefits and its inclusion in solo meals. 

While 69% of participants recognize its importance, just 24% prioritize fiber when eating alone, and 51% believe they do not get enough in their diet. Convenience remains a key barrier, with 64% wishing healthy solo meals were easier to prepare. 

Mars Food & Nutrition says the findings point to an opportunity for food manufacturers to bridge the gap between convenience and nutrition, with 69% of respondents saying they would be more likely to choose healthier solo meals if they were quick and convenient. 

 The company is addressing this demand through product innovation, including high-fiber options across its Seeds of Change, Tasty Bite, and Ben’s Original ranges. 

 Solo dining becomes a positive choice 

Speaking to Food Ingredients First, Karina Zimerfeld, Global VP R&D at Mars Food & Nutrition, explains the evolution of eating habits and how solo meals are increasingly becoming an occasion shaped around people’s own routines, preferences, and time to themselves. Notably, 51% of those surveyed describe eating meals alone as “relaxing” and 38% as “comforting.” 

 “We’re seeing people’s meal habits evolve in response to busier schedules and changing routines, with many having less time to plan and prepare meals from scratch. In fact, 65% of dinners are decided on the day of eating, illustrating how meal decisions are increasingly shaped by busy lives.” 

“At the same time, solo meals are increasingly becoming a positive choice among Gen Z and Millennials, with people embracing the opportunity to enjoy a meal on their own terms.” 

 “Yet, while they increasingly value the time they spend eating alone, the nutritional quality of these meals doesn’t always receive the same consideration, with just 24% prioritizing fiber when preparing a solo meal. This shift is influencing what people expect from the food itself: something that fits around their day, delivers on taste, and supports their nutritional needs.” 

“From an R&D perspective, the opportunity is to translate these insights into the products we bring to market. That means delivering better nutrition through convenient meals, while ensuring that taste remains central to the experience.” 

Bridging the fiber gap

The fact that only 24% prioritize fiber when eating alone, and 51% believe they probably do not get enough fiber overall, reveals that people understand that fiber is important to health, but that knowledge doesn’t always translate into the choices they make, particularly when convenience, and limited preparation time influence what ends up on the plate. 

“Our research helps us understand some of the practical barriers behind this. It’s about making fiber easier to include in the foods people already enjoy, rather than expecting consumers to make additional effort to get the nutrition they need,” Zimerfeld says. 

For Mars Food & Nutrition, the opportunity is to develop food that makes healthier eating more convenient, without asking consumers to compromise on the meals they enjoy. 

“That’s why we place equal importance on taste, convenience, and health through our innovation process. Ingredients such as wholegrains, legumes, and vegetables have an important role to play here, helping us to deliver more fiber in familiar, convenient meal formats. The innovation opportunity is to bring these ingredients together in ways that deliver on nutritional quality while still creating a delicious meal,” Zimerfeld continues. 

 “This is where the combination of nutrition science, culinary expertise, and manufacturing capabilities becomes particularly important. We need to think beyond individual ingredients and consider how the finished product will work for consumers, from the nutritional benefits it delivers to how easily it can be prepared.” 

Balancing nutrition, taste, and convenience

As consumer interest in fiber grows, driven by gut health awareness and social media trends such as ‘"fibermaxxing,” Mars sees opportunities to translate this attention into lasting dietary changes. Everyday food categories offer scope to increase fiber intake, while personalized nutrition could open up new avenues for product innovation. 

“It’s encouraging to see fiber gaining more attention, particularly through conversations around gut health and trends, such as ‘fibermaxxing’ on social media. What matters now is how growing interest and awareness translates into the food choices people make,.” Zimerfeld tells us. 

“In the coming years, consumers will increasingly recognize that getting enough fiber matters, but so does consuming a variety of fiber sources. Food manufacturers can help turn that awareness into action through innovation.” 

Looking ahead, Zimerfeld also expects consumers to become more aware of their individual nutritional needs, with developments in personalized nutrition and health-tracking technologies playing a greater role in how they make food choices. 

“For manufacturers, this will create opportunities to develop products that respond more closely to individual dietary needs and preferences,” she concludes. 

 We recently explored how consumer interest in gut health and “fibermaxxing” concepts is proliferating as functional fiber innovations expand beyond high-fiber claims.