A look at the trends filling this year’s holiday grocery basket
Gathering friends and family around the dinner table is central to how Canadians celebrate the holidays—bringing warmth to the season through shared meals. When snow is falling and bells are jingling, soul-satisfying food is at the heart of every menu.
“In the summer months, people are looking for something refreshing or delicate, if you will,” says Joel Gregoire, associate director, food and drink at research firm Mintel. “In the wintertime, it’s more about foods that are hearty and rich and comforting.”
However, a taste for nostalgia doesn’t necessarily preclude an openness to novelty. Emma Balment, director, food and beverage group, market strategy and understanding for Ipsos, says this is particularly true in a Canadian marketplace experiencing changes in consumer demographics and behaviour.
“Changes in what we eat and drink tend to move slowly and gradually at the pace of a generation,” says Balment. “Special occasions and holidays are a time Canadians are especially rooted in tradition when it comes to foods and beverages, even if what ‘tradition’ means is diverse and evolving.
“However, conditions do arise that act as a catalyst to propel change at a faster pace, and those conditions are present, stirring up changes in Canadians’ traditional holiday behaviours.”
Among the most pressing conditions affecting holiday menu planning is the rising cost of living, including food prices, says Balment. Citing the Ipsos report Canada’s Endurance Economy 2026 to ?, she highlights how decreased optimism and financial confidence are leading consumers to adopt a more “defensive” posture on spending.
The Ipsos research bears out what grocers are seeing in their stores. As Matthew Reilly, director deli and HMR merchandising, Metro (Ontario) relays, “We have noticed customers being more price sensitive and shopping promotions leading into major holidays.”
Ipsos suggests the endurance economy will likely be a holiday tradition for a decade or more. But price consciousness isn’t the same as outright austerity, and the research firm’s projection also notes that consumers are wired to adapt and “rebuild meaning, pleasure and progress inside constraint.”
It is against this backdrop of constraint and adaptation that several trends are emerging for holiday entertaining occasions. Canadians are becoming more adventurous with the flavours they weave into meals and appetizers, taking inspiration from a variety of global cuisines. Many are moving away from overindulgence in terms of both food and alcoholic beverages, choosing healthier options— or at least sobriety. And selections from the frozen aisle are finding their way into more holiday shopping baskets.
“In some ways, holiday hosts are going back to basics, and in others, they’re changing up the status quo,” says Balment.
The following are some trends that are poised to influence holiday entertaining—that most trend-resistant of eating occasions—this winter:
Flavour fusions
“The globalization of how we eat is just how we’re wired now, so it’s not necessarily a trend for the holidays,” says Jannine Rane, co-founder and CEO of
Toronto-based Zing Pantry Shortcuts. “It’s just the reality of how we eat.”
As the head of a company that specializes in sauces, condiments and seasonings inspired by a variety of international cuisines, Rane is meeting this reality head-on. And though she’s quick to note that culinary globetrotting is a year-round habit for Canadians, she says it does have applications to the holiday season. “Tradition isn’t being replaced, but it’s being redefined in terms of how tables are coming together,” she says.
According to Rane, Zing’s products help consumers put new twists on festive favourites. Last year, the company promoted a green bean casserole recipe featuring its North African-inspired Mogambo Roasted Garlic Condiment. She also reports customers using Zing’s Pay Chen’s Sacha-ish Umami Chili Miso on turkey and Christine Flynn’s Hot Honey to add a dose of sweet heat to ham.
Research from Ipsos corroborates Rane’s observations about Canadians’ increasingly adventurous approach to holiday dining—particularly among shoppers who are stepping into hosting duties for the first time.
“Younger generations have grown up in a more ethnically diverse peer group celebrating a number of different holidays at the end of the calendar year,” says Balment. “This social environment has a cross-cultural influence and opens up young consumers to try new things and establish their own traditions for special occasions.”
The difference across generations is stark, according to Ipsos, with hosts over 50 serving traditional Canadian fare 84% of the time, versus just 43% among the 18 to 34 cohort. The firm also reports that East Asian cuisine features prominently in meals prepared by all age groups, with South Asian, African, Mexican and Middle Eastern recipes more popular among younger consumers.
Global flavours are showing up as meal alternatives, fresh takes on old standards and small-bite appetizers. Gregoire of Mintel says this latter format lends itself particularly well to experimentation.
“There’s likely more tolerance for exploration at that part of the meal,” he says, naming soup dumplings, Chinese-style barbecue buns, spring rolls and Venezuelan-style cheese among the types of internationally inspired appetizers he’s seen in the marketplace. “It’s low risk, because if you try something and don’t like it, you just don’t have another one.”
Jenny Longo, vice-president, private brand for Longo’s, says the grocery retailer has factored a zest for culinary globetrotting into developing its private-label product line.
“We know our guests are food explorers and are increasingly open to globally inspired flavours and culturally blended foods,” she says, adding that Longo’s-branded items such as Traditional Mini Potato Samosas, Naan Minis and Vegetable Spring Rolls can help customers “bring familiar holiday entertaining together with unexpected flavours.”
Health-conscious holidays
For many Canadians, holiday dining conjures up images of loosened belt buckles and reaching for that extra buzz-boosting drink. But industry experts have noticed that certain consumers are rejecting some of the season’s associations with overindulgence, opting for food and drink that’s healthier for—or at least goes easier on— their bodies.
“Holiday entertaining increasingly means catering to a variety of preferences and dietary needs,” says Longo. “Our guests are continuing to place greater importance on nutrition alongside value.”
Longo adds that vegetarian and gluten-free options are becoming more common, as are more protein-rich appetizers.
READ: Fall baking is becoming more flexible, functional and creative
Health factors are also influencing another key aspect of seasonal socializing: the beverages used to toast the occasion. More consumers are looking to get into the holiday spirit without actual spirits, opting for alternatives that forego alcohol and other ingredients that come with harsh side effects.
“Customers are focusing on interesting and unique ready-to-drink flavours in not only non-alcoholic offerings, but also with selections offering lower sugar and calories,” says Cathy Strange, ambassador of food culture, Whole Foods Market.
Bob Huitema, president and founder of DistillX Beverages, is one entrepreneur who’s invested in helping people bypass booze—or at least minimize their intake—over the holidays. For Huitema, whose Sobrii line of non-alcoholic spirits is designed to be mixed into mocktails, supporting the health of Canadian consumers is its own kind of holiday gift.
“The best thing people say to me is ‘I don’t miss the alcohol.’ That means you’re making people healthier and that makes me happy.”
Huitema adds that Sobrii’s appeal is based on overall health as well as its lack of alcohol and versatility in highbrow mocktails.
“We’re zero sugar and zero calories for a reason,” he says. “That’s just as important, especially during the holiday season when you’re consuming a lot of sugar.” (Last fall, the company introduced its 0-Rum product, which contains strong cinnamon notes that play into holiday taste traditions.)
Seasonal shareables
The main course may still be the main event at most holiday gatherings, but premeal grazing is increasingly becoming a focal point for consumers.
“What we’re anticipating most is how the role of the appetizer is changing,” says Longo. “Guests are telling us that the holidays are a time to gather, which means there are more opportunities for finger foods, snack boards, dips, small bites and shareable appetizers, not just one formal meal.”
Amandine Pruvot, brand director for Bel Group Canada’s Boursin brand of cheeses, concurs. Highlighting Boursin’s Cranberry & Pepper and Truffle Salt & Hint of Pepper flavours as holiday favourites, she says Canadians are looking to drive social interaction with products that balance indulgence and simplicity.
“During the holiday season, shoppers are more willing to try new products, premium offerings, seasonal flavours and limited-edition items than they are during the rest of the year,” she says, pointing out that elevated appetizers can help make special occasions more special. “Consumers want food experiences that feel special and premium but are easy to prepare and share with guests.”
More than ever, those high-brow-yet-simple foods can be found in the frozen aisle. Customers want to spend less time cooking and more time with their guests, says Metro’s Reilly. “The frozen category continues to grow in popularity as quality and variety improves, and we see this trend continuing.”
Strange agrees, referencing Whole Foods Market’s 2025 and 2026 trend predictions reports: “We’re seeing more unique and delicious frozen appetizers,” she says, noting that frozen dumplings are among the most popular items.
From frozen appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages to blending traditions from around the world, holiday entertaining continues to evolve. Though every table tells a slightly different story, the spirit of bringing people together over a shared meal remains the same.
“None of the fundamentals are changing,” says Rane. “It’s still about gathering to eat delicious food.”
This article was first published in Canadian Grocer’s September/October 2026 issue.
