- From instant meals to mealworm protein — how modern diets and sustainable innovations are reshaping what we eat and how we farm.
As modern life accelerates, the way we eat and even how we feed our animals — is undergoing a remarkable transformation. From the rise of instant, fortified meals in cities to the adoption of mealworms as sustainable poultry feed in rural Pakistan, the global food system is evolving under the pressures of time, cost, and environmental responsibility.
In cities across the world, eating habits are changing faster than ever. Traditional, home-cooked meals that once defined family life are being replaced by ready-to-eat bowls, instant noodles, and packaged snacks. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) notes that this isn’t merely a shift in taste but a structural change driven by urbanization, time scarcity, and the growing prevalence of shelf-stable, convenience-oriented foods.
The reasons are clear: dual-income households, long commutes, and demanding work schedules leave little time for traditional cooking. Food producers have responded by filling markets with quick, easy options — making convenience the new default. Industry data show that the global ready-to-eat food market now stands in the hundreds of billions of dollars and continues to grow steadily each year.
Yet convenience has a cost. While nutrient-fortified meals can help close dietary gaps, the surge in ultra-processed foods is also linked to rising health risks such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The challenge now is to make convenience nutritious — to create foods that are not just fast, but also good for health.
Experts suggest a three-part recipe for healthier instant foods: focus on real nutrition by using vegetables, legumes, and whole grains; ensure affordability so that all income groups can access them; and redesign packaging for modern lifestyles, offering quick, portion-controlled, kettle-ready options for busy consumers. With smart design, instant food can evolve from a compromise into a solution.
While cities race for time, rural areas face a different but equally urgent food challenge: sustainability in livestock feed. In Pakistan, poultry farming remains a vital source of income for millions, particularly in rural regions where free-range chickens provide both food and livelihood. However, rising feed costs and dependence on imported ingredients such as soybean meal and fishmeal have made poultry production increasingly expensive and unstable.
A promising solution lies in an unlikely source — mealworms. These small insects are packed with more than 50–60% protein, healthy fats, and essential amino acids. Even a small inclusion of mealworm protein in chicken feed can enhance growth, immunity, and egg quality.
Beyond nutrition, mealworms offer an ingenious environmental advantage: they can thrive on organic waste like fruit peels, wheat bran, and vegetable scraps. By converting waste into valuable protein, they help create a circular, zero-waste farming system that reduces both feed costs and environmental impact. Producing one kilogram of mealworm protein requires just 10 liters of water — compared to about 500 liters for soybean protein — a critical saving in water-scarce regions like Pakistan.
The global momentum for insect-based protein is growing. Countries such as Thailand and several in the European Union have already scaled up commercial production of mealworms and other insects for animal feed, showing that insect protein can be produced efficiently and safely at scale. With the right research, policies, and training, Pakistan can do the same — empowering local farmers to raise sustainable poultry while reducing import dependency.
Both the rise of instant foods in cities and the emergence of mealworm protein in rural areas represent two sides of the same global transformation: the quest for efficiency and sustainability in food systems. Urban consumers want quick, nutritious meals, while rural farmers seek affordable, eco-friendly feed. Together, these changes are redefining how food is produced, processed, and consumed.
But innovation must be responsible. Governments, researchers, and the private sector must ensure that these trends align with long-term goals for health, sustainability, and equity. The goal is not merely to adapt to a changing world, but to guide these changes toward better outcomes — making the fast choice the healthy one, and the efficient choice the sustainable one.
In the end, transforming the food system is not just about what’s on the plate, but how wisely we use time, technology, and nature’s smallest resources. From instant meals to mealworms, the future of food lies in balance — between convenience and care, speed and sustainability. If guided thoughtfully, these twin shifts could nourish both people and the planet.
Dr. Azhar Rasool, Assistant Professor, Nisar Aziz AgriTech Center (NAAC), Department of Business Studies, Namal University Mianwali, Pakistan (azhar.rasool@namal.edu.pk)
Mr. Awais Asif and Ms. Areeba Fatima, Business Graduate Scholars at the Department of Business Studies, Namal University Mianwali, Pakistan