From aloo to avocado: How India's eating choices are changing

Time of India

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In Raipur, 22-year-old Shubh Agrawal says his family has gone pro-protein since his father had a health scare last year. The doctors advised him to increase protein intake. The diagnosis triggered a shift in the family's eating habits , leading to the inclusion of more protein-rich foods and, more recently, whey isolate—a preferred option to whey protein concentrate—into their daily diet.For two years, Agrawal, an avid listener of neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman's Huberman Lab Podcast, tried to convince his family to adopt healthier habits, but with little success. It took a doctor's warning and the entry of household brand Amul into the high-protein product space to finally get them to listen. He says, 'Earlier, I would be the one setting reminders to restock protein. Now, my mom has taken over.'Across urban India, food conversations are undergoing a shift. Health, convenience and nutrition are taking centrestage in kitchens, driven by a mix of growing awareness fuelled by wellness influencers and social media, aggressive marketing by health-focused brands and a post-pandemic focus on wellbeing. A new vocabulary—quinoa, kale, avocados, nut butters—has entered households as more consumers become conscious of protein intake and superfoods. Once reserved for elite homes in metros, these items are now finding space in upper-middle and middleclass kitchens across India, even in tier-2 cities, thanks to increased availability and awareness.Leading food retailers confirm that nutrient-rich products are gaining in popularity beyond premium circles.'There has been a noticeable shift in the buying patterns of upper-middle and middle-class consumers,' says P Venkatesalu, CEO of Trent, which owns the Star Bazaar hypermarket chain. 'But the core of the Indian kitchen remains the same—dal, rice, wheat and pulses still dominate. The new foods are additions, not replacements,' he says.Damodar Mall, CEO, grocery retail, Reliance Retail , agrees: 'Food conversations in Indian households are undergoing a quiet transformation—nudged by aspiration, convenience, curiosity and social influence. From grocery baskets to dinner tables, choices today reflect a shift not just in taste, but in mindset.'Produce like avocados, dragon fruit and kiwis—once found only in upscale supermarkets—are now being sold from local pushcarts. These items, once linked with gourmet kitchens or international travel, are part of middle-class grocery list.Nutrition trends are also reviving old ingredients in new formats. Millets like ragi and jowar are being added to regular meals, aided by a flood of social media content—from influencer videos to 'superfood' hacks. This information ecosystem, while overwhelming at times, is keeping food conversations aspirational and dynamic.'Underlying this change is a deep cultural shift,' says Mall. 'Modern Indian home cooks—often young women and men—are reinventing tradition. It's not a rejection, but a reinvention of heritage.' Mall is talking about ready-to-eat rotis and packaged chaas, among others. He says, 'Rituals like setting the curd at home are being replaced by branded alternatives. Packaged curd, branded chaas, ready-to-eat rotis and millet mixes are becoming staples in households seeking convenience. These are tools for managing fast-paced lives.'The Indian consumer is evolving— not just in what they eat, but in how they think about food. New brands and established players are taking note.Companies like ITC, Zydus, Marico and Parle have doubled down on the healthy snacking category to include baked chips and millet-based cookies, while Amul has a growing portfolio of protein-rich products. According to Reliance Industries ' FY25 results, 'there was a growing demand for niche and premium products as consumers looked for aspirational choices'. Products like premium coffee and healthy snacks in Reliance Retail had a 30% y-o-y growth.The younger generation is acting as the influencer at home. Prakhar Agrawal, a 24-year-old marketing executive in Gorakhpur, has persuaded his parents to switch to ragi chips and quinoa puffs. He says, 'When it comes to food, I prefer snacks that are free from palm oil. I get a lot of my information from social media ads, which often show newer and 'cleaner' brands. But I don't just rely on them. I always check the list of ingredients to make informed decisions.'Adarsh Menon, partner at Fireside Ventures, a venture capital firm that backs consumer brands in the wellness space, among others, says Indian consumers are doubling down on everyday wellness. He says, 'According to our research, about 63% now actively seek healthier snacks. Products with health claims are growing 1.2x faster than conventional ones. The ayurvedic-herbal market has already crossed Rs 87,600 crore.'Digital grocery platforms and quick-commerce delivery in over 500 smaller towns, combined with Rs 10-30 trial packs, are expanding this trend beyond metros. A recent survey by Fireside Ventures of over 1,000 shoppers found that more than half of tier-2 consumers include healthy grains, millets and dry fruits in their diets, while over 30% consume ayurvedic herbs like giloy or ashwagandha. Even traditionally vegetarian homes are becoming 'flexi-veg,' adding eggs or soy a few times a week for protein.Menon adds, 'This appetite is fuelling fast-growing categories: smart snacks like protein bars and roasted mixes, breakfast grains such as millet noodles and multigrain atta, and alternatives like cold-pressed oils and natural sweeteners. People are replacing refined sugar with jaggery or stevia, maida with multigrain, and industrial oils with cold-pressed ones—when the price premium is within 25%.'This trend is not without critics. Nutritionists warn against blindly following food fads without understanding dietary needs. While some consumers see these changes as upgrades, others question whether they are necessary.Dr Pavan Dhoble, consultant gastroenterologist, PD Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai, urges caution. 'People are blindly following diet trends without understanding their own body's needs.' Dhoble, who co-authored a study on self-reported food intolerances, says, 'Even milk intolerance was seen in only a quarter of participants despite the belief that most Indians are lactose intolerant.' His key takeaway? 'Individualisation is essential. What works for one gut might harm another.'Dr Ajay Jhaveri, a gastroenterologist at Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, echoes the concern. 'Locally sourced foods often suit our bodies better. While egg whites are excellent protein sources, many gym-goers are overdoing it with protein powders that contain harmful preservatives. It's not just about what people eat—it's about why and how.'Fitness expert Leena Mogre adds another layer: aspiration. 'There is a rush to be seen as elite. The middle class wants to align with what looks premium, even if it is not healthier,' she says.She highlights the overlooked nutritional power of traditional Indian superfoods like amaranth, which surpasses quinoa nutritionally, and millets like jowar and bajra, which are only now being appreciated. 'These were once seen as poor man's food. Now people are waking up to their true value,' she adds.However, Mogre warns against turning fitness into a fashion statement. 'Health is a lifestyle, not a trend. In smaller cities like Pune or Nashik, people are still eating simple, home-cooked meals—and often, those are far more nourishing than the so-called urban health diets.'The real key to health, experts suggest, may not lie in imported superfoods, but in listening to one's body—and perhaps rediscovering the quiet wisdom of the grandmother's kitchen.The avalanche of information and marketing has also instilled confusion in the minds of customers with influencers and de-influencers (accounts that discourage people from doing certain things) cluttering social media feeds.Stuti Agarwal, a 32-year-old baker from Ahmedabad who runs the cloud kitchen bakery Dough Culture, says the most frequent request she gets is for gluten-free bread.'With the current gluten-free fad, people constantly seek such options without fully understanding what it really means,' she says. She recalls a customer asking her to replicate a ragi loaf from a rival brand. But after reading the label, she discovered that it contained just 5% ragi; the rest was atta, gluten powder and chemical bread improvers. 'People don't pay close attention to what they are consuming. They are just following online trends,' she adds.Nutritionist Pooja Makhija agrees. 'Social media has raised awareness, but it has also created confusion. There's a flood of information, but a lack of true knowledge,' she says. With influencers and unqualified voices offering advice, many of her clients are overwhelmed. She has started a more economical version of her nutrition programme to cater to the growing demand from non-metro cities. Her guiding principle: 'Eat more of what god made, and less of what man made.'She advocates filtering trends through cultural wisdom. 'Would your grandparents have eaten this?' is a question she believes more people should ask.