What 2025 Looked Like from Inside the Mission Field Snack Cabinet

Every December, our team reflects on the year that was. This exercise starts with good intentions and then turns into something that feels more like a group chat with snacks.

Before long, the whole thing becomes our unofficial way of taking the pulse of CPG.

This year was especially fun. Everyone contributed a different story from their own kitchens, shopping carts, or late-night scroll sessions. Those little stories ended up telling us more about the direction of food than any giant industry report could. Most of them even came from our team’s end-of-year favorites list.

Here’s the real version of 2025, through our eyes.

1. Everyone fell into oddly specific little rituals

We kept noticing how often someone said “this is my evening thing” or “I only eat this at work at 2 p.m.” The best example was Lauri’s pumpkin spree. Cookies. Bars. Pumpkin Goldfish. It was like autumn followed her around.

What felt interesting was how natural it all was. People were not buying products. They were buying very specific moods. The cozy treat after dinner. The pick-me-up that feels healthy enough. The thing that helps you settle into the day or shut it down.

These tiny rituals shaped more of our buying behavior than anything else.

2. Protein turned into something we wanted to enjoy, not endure

Julia’s house is a protein testing lab at this point. Teens, sports, schedules, the whole deal. What surprised us was how much she talked about the packaging, the texture, and the environmental impact. She picked up products that felt good to use, not just ones that hit a number on a label.

Canned shakes so she didn’t have to build a recycling tower. Pasta that still tasted like pasta. Upgrades that blended into daily life without a pep talk.

Protein didn’t feel like a fitness assignment anymore. It felt like part of normal eating.

3. Frozen became the category that made everyone smile

If we gave an award for pure joy, frozen wins in a landslide. Caragh’s recap of her family’s grocery run was hilarious. A simple trip turned into a scavenger hunt. Candy bar ice cream pies. Fruit coated in chocolate. A Biscoff bar that sent their visiting soccer player into full celebration mode.

We all had a moment like that this year. Something in the freezer that sparked a small burst of delight. The ideas felt playful and familiar at the same time.

Frozen became the aisle where brands could stretch a little and still feel true to themselves.

4. Functional benefits slipped into the background in a good way

This was the year functional nutrition stopped shouting for attention. It simply showed up.

Stacey started grabbing protein-boosted Starbucks drinks without thinking twice. Parents on our team noticed their kids reading labels a little more closely. Even snacks that used to feel like pure fun started carrying tiny little benefits that made them feel like a smarter choice.

No one was chasing perfection. Everyone just wanted their everyday choices to work a little harder for them.

5. Fans basically wrote the innovation roadmap

The Reese’s and Oreo mashup came up in conversation more than anything else. Stacey brought it in first. Then half the team found it in their local stores. What stood out was not the flavor combo. It was the feeling of “yeah, of course someone finally made this.”

People had been mixing those flavors at home for years. Once the brands made it official it took off instantly.

It reminded us how often shoppers create the momentum before a product even exists.

So what does all of this add up to?

Nothing complicated. Nothing theoretical. Just a simple pattern we kept seeing in our own lives.

People want products that fit into the tiny rhythms of their day. They want upgrades that feel natural. They want fun that does not take itself too seriously. They want food that feels like it already understands them.

When we look ahead to 2026, we feel excited because everything we saw this year points to one thing. Innovation is strongest when it listens to real life. Not big categories. Not huge promises. Real people. Real habits. Real moments.

And honestly, after this year’s snack cabinet autopsy, we feel pretty ready for whatever shows up next.