If the mum in the iconic Oxo gravy adverts from the eighties and nineties was on GLP‑1 medication, would her family still gather to eat and spend time together?
It’s not a trivial question. GLP-1 users who are the main cooks for their families must balance their own reduced appetite with the demands of feeding everyone else. For them, weight-loss medication doesn’t just change what they eat – it could disrupt family routines, personal connections and their ability to consistently model healthy eating habits.
As nutritional needs diverge within households, brands have the opportunity to help families eat differently without eating apart.
A new kind of family meal
Meal solutions for GLP‑1 users will need to expand beyond the single‑serve, ready‑to‑eat options that dominate today. Mintel predicts brands will increasingly develop ready‑to‑cook options designed for the whole family, with flexible portions, balanced nutrition and the ability for everyone to eat together, even if they eat differently.
Solutions can include meal kits or ready-to-cook options that cater to different appetites, or customisable options such as modular meals. That means each family member can mix and match based on their needs. They can take inspiration from the US meal kits provider Hungryroot, which specialises in simple, modular ingredients with fast assembly and high flexibility.
There’s a social dimension here too. For GLP-1 users, sharing healthy habits with others is important for maintaining new routines – it fosters accountability and normalises changed behaviours. In fact, Mintel research finds that 67% of UK prescription weight management drug users say it’s easier to stick to healthy habits with others than alone.
By creating campaigns and products that emphasise the emotional and social value of family meals, food and drink brands can position them as moments of connection rather than just nourishment.
Opportunities for households with children
For households with younger children, there are further opportunities. Playful food-themed formats, such as quizzes or cultural challenges built around mealtimes, can bring everyone to the table regardless of appetite.
We spoke to British mum and weight‑loss medication influencer Grace Parkin, who lost nine stone on Mounjaro. As the primary household cook, she says being on a GLP‑1 has reduced her motivation to cook, resulting in more frequent takeaways for her child.
Brands can offer simple ways to enhance the nutritional value of even the most basic meals by developing products and resources that provide targeted nutritional support for all family members. There is scope to offer fortified snacks, drinks and meal components that ensure children get the nutrients they need, even when home-cooked meals are simplified or prepared less frequently.
The enduring appeal of the classic Oxo adverts was never really gravy. It was about the shared meals as the reliable ritual of connecting families in an increasingly fragmented world. As GLP-1 usage reshapes eating habits, the brands that succeed will be those that protect that role: helping families sit together, eat differently and still share the moments that matter.
Ayisha Koyenikan is principal strategist at Mintel Food & Drink
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