Plant-Based and Flexitarian Eating!

I love knowing what the next food discoveries will be even though most of them are too adventuresome for me. The Food Network has a trend-spotting team that spends months studying digital analytics, going to trade shows, and watching sales of ingredients, spices, drinks, kitchen equipment and appliances to see what the public and food professionals will be eating, drinking, cooking, and talking about in 2024. Food scientists and chefs report a trend away from ultra-processed foods, which were popular in 2023.  Unrecognizable ingredients are now considered unhealthy.  As the saying goes, if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it!

The Food Network team reports that 64% of people say they are eating at home more often, and as a result, frozen food will meet the demand for convenience by offering healthy, affordable options that can be prepared quickly.

Heinz recently launched its frozen Home Bake 425° / 30 initiative which contains mix and match entrees and sides, allowing home cooks to toss the whole meal into the oven at the same time.

A new frozen food line called Counter was recently founded by two former Walmart executives who had found a following on TikTok with their healthy recipes.  There will be more pre-made meal options in the year ahead, as well as more apps that help users craft quick meals from what’s already in their kitchens or make shopping lists to help them properly stock up.

Gen Z is reportedly sticking with their love of spicy and sweet foods, enjoying the liberal use of condiments like Sriracha, chili oil, and hot sauce.  These add-ons will be integrated more frequently and creatively into mainstream cuisine.

Gen Z is also partly behind the new demand for quality frozen food and heat ‘n’ eat vegetables, but the public across generations is expressing a desire for more vegetables, as vegetarianism is expected to rise along with a growing interest in plant-based foods. It is speculated that this is a response to environmental concerns, particularly the negative impacts of livestock farming.  Sustainability, sourcing local ingredients, and the environmental impact of the foods we eat are becoming increasingly important with consumers across the board.  Even Nabisco is getting on board, as Oreos will start using sustainable cocoa in their cookies.

Mock meats will be out and real plant-based foods like veggie burgers, nuts and seeds will be in. Mushrooms will play a larger role in substituting for chicken and beef and plant-based seafood products will become popular as prices rise for fish. Look for more beetroot, taro, and stem vegetables like okra, corn, and eggplant.

The zero-waste movement is also influencing how food is prepared and consumed. Chefs and home cooks are finding creative ways to minimize food waste by using the whole ingredient, including stems, skins, and leftovers.

Healthy snack foods will be in demand.  MyFitnessPal, the top global nutrition app, saw a 70% increase in people searching for ways to eat cottage cheese.  New protein-based recipes, like ‘protein oatmeal’ made with peanut butter powder, are flooding TikTok.  Protein, in general, will be very important in the coming year. You’ll see the word ‘protein’ on the packaging of many supermarket products, like protein rice, protein ramen, watermelon seed protein powder, nut protein powders, protein cookies, and more. Plant-based sources, like pea protein, tofu, and seitan, have also been growing in popularity.

Foods with added health benefits beyond basic nutrition are gaining popularity. This includes ingredients like turmeric, matcha, and adaptogens, which are believed to offer health-promoting properties. Whole Foods predicts an increase in “clean caffeine” options, like coffee infused with mushrooms, prebiotic–spiked green tea, and crash-free cold brew that won’t bring on jitters. Awareness of the connection between diet and mental health is also increasing. Consumers are seeking foods that support overall well-being and mental health.

Delicious snack ‘treats’, also known as single-serving indulgences like tinned fish, caviar, or artisanal chocolate, will become even more popular.  Caviar is having a comeback and consumers will be able to afford the smaller-portioned sizes as it will be increasingly available at affordable prices. Whole Foods sells many of these small-but-worth-it splurges, such as self-serve macarons, brown butter lattes, and Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co. Sardines with Hot Peppers.

Charcuterie boards are often replacing three course dinners because people want more taste sensations and smaller portions.  Specialized boards will be trending, like candy charcuterie boards, sea-cuterie boards with various tinned fish, and fruit charcuterie boards.

Grains – koji (mold-inoculated rice, barley, or soybeans from Japanese cuisine), buckwheat, quinoa, farro, and teff will increase in popularity.

Third Culture Cuisine, also known as fusion, which is a blending of global, cultural, and biological food influences and ingredients, is at its peak in America.  Many restaurants have opened featuring third culture cuisine, and pre-prepared options will be appearing on supermarket shelves in various forms, such as ice cream with South Asian ingredients and Paro’s Pakistani American meal kits.

Taiwan milk tea, known as Boba or bubble tea, is popular in Southeast Asia and gaining popularity here.  Bubble tea shops are opening across the U.S. There are boba flavored candies and cookies are in the snack aisles.

If you thought oat milk, goat milk, or even milk tea was the end of the line, think again! For 2024, camel milk is one of the hottest new food trends.  Long used in the Middle East, it’s a sustainable option that is now gaining popularity elsewhere.

Pickle juice will become an ‘it’ ingredient. Bon Appetit recently published a recipe for a pickle juice martini! Sake is also having a moment.  Sake is an ancient Japanese alcohol made from rice, exports of which have tripled over the last 10 years.  The first stateside brewery opened in the Hudson Valley in New York three months ago. On the other hand, the non-alcoholic beverage industry is growing in leaps and bounds.  There will be more bottles of spirit-inspired blends, canned nonalcoholic wines, spritzes and seltzers on shelves, as well as non-alcoholic pairings in fine dining to include special teas and artisanal juices.

Finally, the trend in cooking appliances is away from the air fryer and towards multi-use countertop appliances like the compact, multicooker ovens that can air fry, bake, roast, toast, broil, reheat and more, typically for an average price of $200. Food Network reports that searches on their website for “countertop ovens” are up 22%. Our Place sells the Wonder Oven and GE, Breville and Cuisinart all have their own version. The Breville Compact Smart Oven, pictured above, is $189.95.