In the era of Ozempic, how do you finish a meal?
The death of the dessert could be upon us. In a recent survey of Ozempic users, published by The New Consumer, a staggering 84% of respondents have reduced their consumption of desserts.
This huge change brings to mind the effect on food culture and how the death of the dessert may affect our dining rituals. Specifically, how do you finish a meal in the era of Opzempic? I've explored some ideas below:
The Cheese Board
The respondents also cited a 43% increase in protein consumption, so my first thought is a shift en masse to the cheese board. Cue intensified climate horror, or ideally, in the near-future restaurants cultivate their own cheese creations on site.
The Return of the Petit Four
This would be no bad thing whatsoever. From after-dinner mints to marzipan miniatures, we could breathe life into the coffee accompaniment giving the humble Lotus biscuit a much-needed run for its money (we need to ditch the plastic anyway). Bite-sized works of art also align nicely with other insights from the survey which found that as consumers trade down in terms of quantity, they trade up in terms of quality.
The Irish Coffee
Frankly, Gen Z has not had the pleasure of an Irish Coffee menu, obscure cream liquors coupled with the worst coffee imaginable. Coffee connoisseurs are now widespread, so there is a veritable cocktail of combinations for us to explore.
The One For The Road
Having said that, the survey also highlights 38% of respondents have reduced their alcohol intake, so does this mean the market for the digestif narrows even further? Perhaps we pivot into the ever-improving field of alcohol-free drinks and enjoy an end-of-meal mocktail?
The Tales of Olde
Or are we just going to close meals with a moment of remembrance by reminiscing about ‘what we used to eat’ as some do about smoking in pubs? I think we can channel nostalgia into the creation of interesting alternatives rather than assign it to history.
The Awkward Decline
But worst of all would be to continue as we often do at present. With highly varied dietary preferences at the table, we regularly dance around the idea of a dessert, think of all the fat and sugar, consider if this establishment can really nail that vegan chocolate fondant, and just decide to decline thus bringing a flat and unceremonious finish to our meal.
I hope the era of Ozempic will drive innovation that will relieve us of this at least.
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Spring 2024