Mothers pleading for their children to eat their vegetables won’t be a common practice anymore. Brace yourselves for the inevitable: Plant-based diets are hitting the mainstream thanks to the help of the new generation.

Generation Z is shaping up to create a huge impact and it has claimed a new victim: the food industry. Today, teens are chowing down on plant-based diets (also known as a vegan diet) more than any other age group. With the age group making up 25 percent of the population and 40 percent of consumers by the year 2020, according to Fast Company magazine, teens following the meat alternatives trend will create lasting discrepancies within food industries.

According to animal rights group Mercy for Animals, Gen Z has purchased 80 percent more kale, 57 percent more tofu and 266 percent more avocados than any other generational group. They are also consuming 550 percent more plant-based milk than Generation X.

The reason for this vegetable frenzy can be largely derived from social media. It’s difficult to scroll through your timeline and not encounter at least one influencer posing with avocado toast and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Celebrity icon Beyonce announced that she’s going vegan to her 112 million Instagram followers in April, in preparation for the music festival Coachella she headlined, and suggested they join her. She doesn’t fall solo in inspiring a vegan diet: celebrities Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lopez and Will.i am are just a few of the multitude who promote vegan diets to their loyal fans.

This is phenomenal news for vegan food-producing companies such as Gardein, Tofurkey and Beyond Burger (who recently created a plant-based burger that looks, cooks and tastes like an authentic beef patty). With the change in food preference, more of these companies are expected to fill the grocery store aisles.

The trend has not ignored West Essex; some students have adopted or shown interest in the lifestyle due to its health benefits and appeal.

“I decided to go plant-based after seeing how bad meat and dairy can be for your health, and how finding healthier plant-based substitutes for everyday foods is so easy and can make you feel better too,” junior Elyssa Stabile said. “It has helped improve my health overall in every way, and I have opened myself up to trying so many new foods as well.”

“It’s a very intriguing diet to me,” sophomore Andie Steinberg said. “Considering the time we’re living in, you could definitely find vegan recipes online so it wouldn’t be as difficult of a lifestyle to follow as many people believe.”

Family and Consumer Science Teacher Caren Maw recognizes the appeal of  a vegan diet, yet warns of the vital research needed to follow it correctly while still eating the right amount of nutrients. She advises that teens start by eliminating one category of animal-based foods at a time, such as red meat or fish, which can help newcomers gradually ease into their new desired routine.

“A plant-based diet is a difficult lifestyle requiring a lot of research and commitment,” Maw said. “The dietary needs of teenagers are very specific as this encompasses a time where the physical growth is second only to infancy.”

So what’s so groundbreaking about teenagers eating more plants? With the shift from animal products, a plethora of food companies are expected to feel the effects of their products being at the back of the lunch line, so to speak. The dairy industry, in particular, is already facing the plant-based movement’s influence. According to animal rights organization One Green Planet, non-dairy milk sales are up 30 percent since 2011, representing a $2 billion category, and growth is expected to continue outpacing dairy milk sales at least through 2018. Whether or not you view this as a major loss for one industry, or a potential win for a new one, there is no doubt you’ll be seeing more plant-based products. “Got Almond Milk” has a nice ring, doesn’t it?

A plant-based diet is proven to be a healthier lifestyle, environmentally friendly and ethically conservative for animals. With the new generation defining a new era of innovators, it’s safe to say the herbivores are shaping a billion dollar industry – and teens are leading the charge.