Navigating the New Dietary Guidelines: How the Food Industry is Supporting Shoppers

By: Krystal Register, MS, RDN, LDN, Vice President, Health & Well-being, FMI

There has been much buzz around the release of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) 2025-2030 and the accompanying New Food Pyramid and www.realfood.gov website and resources.

The updated DGAs are intended to provide science-based advice and daily recommendations on food groups and nutrients to encourage and those to limit – all in an effort to support healthy and balanced eating patterns. Historically, the DGAs have included advice on what to eat and drink for better health, and specific messaging has evolved to reflect advances in food and nutrition science over the years.

The overall goal, as this new rendition of the DGAs states up front in the preface, is to “provide clear, actionable, transparent, evidence-based guidance empowering Americans to select foods that support health and reduce chronic disease.” With a focus on “minimally processed, naturally nutrient-dense foods… such as vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, nuts, seeds, dairy, whole grains, beans and seafood as the foundation for healthful diets,” the grocery store is well poised, offering a world of choice, as an accessible destination for today’s consumer seeking to align with these new recommendations.

Consumers Seek Health Solutions

FMI research has found that consumers are prioritizing healthy eating choices, though most believe there is room for improvement. The food industry will continue to support consumers with their personalized health goals by offering a wide variety of nutritious options coupled with credible information about food, nutrition and health.

More consumers are seeking health solutions at the grocery store, and retailers are responding with an emphasis on personalized strategies to support individual health goals. The Dietary Guidelines present an opportunity to meet consumers where they are and lean into the expertise and guidance of registered dietitians across the industry. If we go back to the overall goal as stated in the preface, the key is to provide actionable guidance and to empower consumers. It is also vital to emphasize the foundation of an overall healthy eating pattern – this allows for personalization and flexibility, but also warrants some fine-tuning and perhaps expert guidance.

This is where we see our FMI members delivering not only food and products for health, but also actionable solutions, inspiration, guidance, support, navigation, information, expert advice, engagement, meal planning assistance and technology support. These efforts lead to simple swaps, behavior change, improved health, motivation, repeat behavior and trust in a primary food store that helps support their personal health journey. Consumers view their primary food store as a partner in this effort, with 80% of shoppers saying their grocery stores do at least a good job supporting their health and well-being.

Taking a closer look at how the food industry is supporting the consumer experience and truly personalizing the health journey, product suppliers are investing in innovation and reformulation to align with consumer preferences while retailers provide general nutrition information and one-on-one counseling through food retail registered dietitians.  

Details on DGAs

Many recommendations in the new guidelines align with longstanding nutrition science, such as the emphasis on encouraging nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains along with recommendations to limit saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. Specific notations around quality protein, increased fiber and attention to gut microbiome are positive and all reflective of timely nutrition topics of focus.

Recommendations to avoid highly processed packaged, prepared and ready-to-eat foods align with recommendations to limit added sugars and sodium. New recommendations also include limiting foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, synthetic dyes, artificial preservatives and non-nutritive sweeteners, though evidence to date indicates they are generally considered safe within acceptable intake limits.

Some elements, particularly as they are spotlighted in the media, are raising concerns within the nutrition science community. It is important to remember that even with guidance in the new DGAs to include full-fat dairy, red meat and butter, the suggested limit on saturated fat of no more than 10% of total daily calories remains, along with limits for sodium and recommendations to reduce added sugars, all quite similar to past recommendations.

A full-fat dairy recommendation opens the door for whole milk products (equivalent to ~3% milk when compared to other dairy options) without too much additional saturated fat and welcomes other essential nutrients (protein, calcium, Vitamin D, etc.). Flexibility with the fat content allows for the consumption of full-fat dairy within the suggested saturated fat limits, though the new guidelines do not mention appropriate soy-based substitutions for those who cannot or choose not to include dairy.

Not as easy to include within the suggested saturated fat limits are full-fat cuts of meat in large portions, beef tallow or butter without regard to serving size and moderation. Trust me, as a dietitian, I know the magic a little butter can play when combined with vegetables, or as the finishing touch on a pan-seared piece of seafood. And there is room for that, in moderation. All foods can fit, but not without some thoughtful planning.

Bottomline, when you couple the recommendation for full-fat dairy with the continuation of a recommendation of 10% of total calories from saturated fat, there is an inherent need to seek lean cuts of meat, poultry, seafood and plant-based proteins like nuts, seeds and beans to achieve an overall healthy pattern of eating. 

At the end of the day, a balanced diet is all about navigating the grocery store to include protein, dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats as you plan your meals and snacks. Grocery stores offer the expert advice, guidance, inspiration and support through registered dietitians to help shoppers make nutritious choices as they shop, prep, cook and eat to meet their own personal needs.