The granny-approved foods we’ll be buying in 2026

If 2025 was the year of protein-loading, spicy foods and cuisine mash-ups (Japanese-Italian pasta, anyone?), then 2026 is all about getting back to basics.

Good bread. Butter. Milk. Potatoes. No ultra-processed foods (UPFs), thank you very much. According to global market insights company Innova, nearly half of consumers globally purchased more fresh, unprocessed foods over the past year than they did in the previous 12 months, and around 30 per cent of us continue to reduce the amount of processed foods we buy. Instead, “clean label” products are in hot demand – foods (such as those in M&S’s Only…Ingredients range) made with a small number of naturally sourced, recognisable ingredients, and with minimal processing. “Customers are making more conscious choices about foods and, more than ever, are turning back to ‘whole’ ingredients,” says Dr Joanne Lunn, the head of health and nutrition at Waitrose, which is also witnessing the trend.

The foods our grandparents would have seen as daily essentials are making a comeback – with little to no pizzazz. It’s a return to plain, old-fashioned food. And here’s what’s on the menu.

Sourdough bread

Sourdough has gone mainstream, now accounting for one in 13 loaves sold in the UK - annabogush/RooM RF

Sourdough has ditched its bougie reputation and, according to Tesco, has become so popular with British shoppers that it now accounts for one in every 13 bread products sold in the UK. The supermarket saw volume demand soar last year by more than 40 per cent – the equivalent of an extra 14 million sourdough bakery products – reflecting an increasing desire for loaves made with long-fermented dough and zero additives (beware of sourfaux – genuine sourdough is made only with flour, water, salt and a live starter). If you’ve not hoofed it while it’s fresh, here’s how you can use it up when it’s a little stale.

Blocks of butter

Butter in blocks is back on the table, from salted classics to punchy flavoured versions - Galina Loginova/iStockphoto

We’re into good bread, yes – and also good bread absolutely slathered in butter. We can’t get enough of it in blocks, whether salted, French or flavoured – because “clean label” doesn’t have to mean joyless. Sainsbury’s says searches for flavoured butter on its website (versions blended with Parmigiano Reggiano and black pepper, for example, or with smoked garlic and parsley) jumped by 103 per cent at the end of last year, no doubt inspired by the TikTok “butterboard” trend. Sales, meanwhile, rose by 20 per cent. Fancy a butterboard of your own? Here’s how to flavour your block at home.

Extra-virgin olive oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is emerging as the hero of the cupboard - Creaktiva

The cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is also having a moment thanks to its incredible versatility. Online retailer Delli saw a 219 per cent year-on-year rise in searches for olive oil on its site, accompanied by a 515 per cent spike in sales of extra-virgin olive oil in particular, and the trend is set to continue. Small-batch producers including Citizens of Soil and Honest Toil hit the spot thanks to their beautiful designs, storytelling and high-quality liquid, but don’t just save it for cooking or drizzling over salads: olive oil is great in cake, too.

Organic whole milk

Cream-on-top organic whole milk is enjoying a resurgence in popularity - Dash_med/iStockphoto

Remember the time when we were all switching to semi-skimmed and skimmed? Those days are long gone, and we’re increasingly embracing the cream at the top of the bottle. Waitrose reports that sales of its organic Ayrshire unhomogenised whole milk are up 56 per cent, and those of Duchy Organic whole milk are up 25 per cent. The supermarket is adding new milk storage tanks at its regenerative farm in Hampshire to meet demand. Here are some great ideas to make your milk go further – even if it has gone off.

Wholemeal flour

Wholemeal flour is on the rise as shoppers look for more fibre and fewer additives - Brent Hofacker / Alamy Stock Photo

Say farewell to processed white flour. In a survey of 4,400 customers, Waitrose discovered that 76 per cent of us are looking to get more fibre in our diets. It reports that sales of rye, seeded and spelt flours are all up. Meanwhile, in the last three months of 2025, online sales of Doves Farm wholemeal spelt flour were up 34 per cent on the previous year, wholemeal rye was up 29 per cent, and sales of wholemeal einkorn – one of the earliest varieties of wheat, now highly sought after as an “original food” – are rising 278 per cent year on year. Clare Marriage, the chief executive and founder of the organic flour producer, says: “We’re seeing strong interest in our organic ancient grain wholemeal flours as consumers look for fibre-rich foods to support their gut health and move towards more whole foods in general.” Put yours to best use by making your own wholemeal loaf – no kneading needed.

Jarred beans

Sales of jarred beans have more than doubled - Arx0nt/Vladislav Nosick

Also riding on the nation’s fibre drive are beans. “Beans are finally breaking free from the back of the cupboard,” says the Bold Bean Co’s brand manager, Martha Jensen. Sales of the Bold Bean Co’s jars have more than doubled over the past year, and Waitrose has also seen sales of canned and jarred beans jump by 45 per cent. “They offer all the gut-loving benefits of fibre without compromising on flavour,” Jensen adds. Load them onto toast with a miso twist, or take a leaf out of Diana Henry’s book and transform them into a deliciously hearty main course.

Big potatoes

The humble jacket potato is back, with sales of large spuds up by a third

A happy mix of social media trends, air-fryer ownership and a desire for affordable, hearty food has seen the jacket potato enjoy a resurgence. Waitrose reports that sales of large potatoes have grown by a third. And guess what? They tick another trend box because, with the skin on, potatoes are also a source of fibre, delivering about 5g per spud. Add beans and you’re booming (maybe literally). Looking for some ideas beyond beans for toppings? You’ll find them here.

Colourful veg

Colourful veg is booming in popularity - vaaseenaa/iStockphoto

Five a day? It turns out most of us (around 80 per cent of adults, according to the Government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey) don’t hit it. But things are changing. Tesco found that more of us want to “eat the rainbow”, leading to growth in demand last year for heritage carrots and pink onions (demand up 100 per cent for both), as well as rainbow chard (up 70 per cent), cavolo nero (up by more than 30 per cent) and purple broccoli (up by 10 per cent). Roast a bunch of carrots with fennel, honey and chilli and you’ll find that real food – without a UPF in sight – will bring everyone, including Granny, to the table.

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