Searches for fiber-rich foods jump more than 26% as “protein-maxxing” reshapes products across supermarket aisles
If you have walked through an American grocery store lately and felt like the word “protein” was everywhere, you were not imagining it.
Protein and fiber have become two of the biggest food trends of 2026 in the United States.
Instacart shopping data shows the share of searches containing the word “protein” increased 12.7% compared with the previous year.
For “fiber,” the increase was even larger: 26.4%.
Protein is showing up everywhere
The social media trend known as “protein-maxxing” has encouraged food companies to introduce protein-enhanced versions of products that were not traditionally associated with the nutrient.
According to Instacart data, Cheerios Protein saw its share within the category increase 157%, while Eggo Protein Waffles rose 101%.
Protein beverages increased 15%, while cottage cheese, another food that has gone viral across social media, climbed 10%.
Sardines make an unexpected comeback
One of the biggest increases came from a much older pantry staple.
Sales of canned fish, including sardines, increased 51% year over year within the data analyzed.
Fiber-rich foods are also gaining ground.
Sweet potatoes increased 28%, frozen edamame 25% and prunes 23%.
Florida stands out on the map as well. The state ranked No. 1 in the country for purchases of fiber-rich foods and No. 2 for protein-rich foods within the platform’s analysis.
Source: Instacart and Stacker
