Instacart: How protein and fiber are taking over America’s carts 

Instacart data shows consumer demand for protein and fiber is soaring. 

In a blog post this week, the grocery technology company analyzed 2026 purchases versus 2025 to determine how big the fiber and protein trends are. 

“Protein-maxxing and fiber-maxxing – newer terms coined by social media – are not happening in a vacuum,” the post said. “The rise of GLP-1 medications has pushed protein and fiber to the center of the national food conversation, as people on these drugs are widely advised to prioritize protecting muscle mass and supporting digestion. Grocers have taken note: Costco recently said ‘anything protein right now is doing extremely well,’ and Meijer called fiber the ‘breakout nutrition goal for 2026.’” 

Instacart found the share of searches that included the word “protein” grew +12.7 percent year over year, and “fiber,” from a smaller base, grew even faster at +26.4 percent. 

Among the food categories that grew the most in the past year were sweet potatoes and Hass avocados. 

In the fiber category, among the biggest movers were sweet potatoes (and yams), avocados, red raspberries, Bartlett and D’anjou pears, walnuts, Broccolini, and pomegranates. 

“The data doesn’t lie: protein and fiber have moved from niche to norm,” it concluded.