The data is clear: food behavior is changing

If we look beyond aesthetics and into data, the direction is obvious.

Recent insights from inflight catering, premium travel and nutrition science show clear shifts:

Health & performance over indulgence

Passengers increasingly prioritize meals that support energy, focus and digestion, especially on long-haul and overnight flights.

Plant-forward & lighter menus on the rise

Not as a lifestyle statement, but because plant-based, low-fat meals perform better at altitude and reduce post-meal fatigue.

Less sugar, less salt - but smarter seasoning

With reduced taste perception at altitude, flavor design is shifting toward umami, acidity, herbs and texture rather than brute seasoning.

Sustainability as a decision factor

Local sourcing, reduced waste and conscious packaging now influence booking perception, even in private aviation.

Personalization beats abundance

Passengers prefer fewer options, but ones that clearly align with their preferences, health needs and flight context.

The signal is consistent:

𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐮𝐱𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Yet many operations are still 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Menus are ordered late, standardized and disconnected from the passenger profile.

In my next post, I’ll outline what this means in practice and how brokers, operators and crew can actively shape this shift instead of catching up to it.

Photo credit: INFLIGHT ART

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