The year has just started and you’re already asking what will happen in the next few months. In terms of food, several specialists have tried to predict emerging trends. From them, we’ve selected a few. Some will surprise you while others will seduce.
Unusual trends
It’s hard to predict if a trend will last or be lost. Who would have thought that kale salad would be as popular as it was in 2015? Some trends are a huge success whereas others fall easily by the wayside. This year, several food trends pique the imagination! Once you’ve seen some of rising stars, maybe you’ll want this wave of trends to finish quickly!
The arrival of certain foods
Trends indicate a renewal in using certain foods. A few taste combinations seem bold, but often these new mixes are about very nutritious choices.
Avocado oil
This year’s star fruit is definitely the avocado. You’ll find it in many dishes: salads, pasta, desserts. The good fat found in avocados protects cardiovascular health which is an excellent reason to try our layered dip! Avocados are also rich in vitamins and fibre, but don’t go overboard because they’re very rich! The big news for 2016 is without a doubt the emergence of avocado oil in recipes. You might not be used to cooking with it, but the health benefits should encourage you to use it.
Bone broth drinks
Have you heard of the recent trend coming out of New York? People are going crazy for a new product sold at Brodo, a New York restaurant. It’s bone broth! This animal bone consommé has replaced coffee or tea for most Americans. Consumers are buying it up even though it’s really easy to make. This broth has many benefits for your body. It reenergizes you, improves digestion and even helps keep you young. And yes, the collagen in it keeps your hair shiny and skin soft! Even if you do find this movement a little weird, for many cultures, it’s a traditional drink.
Edible insects
In many parts of the world, eating meat has been replaced by eating insects which provides as much, if not more, protein than meat, eggs or poultry. This isn’t a practice that is part of the morals here. It is, however, another trend that specialists think should become part of our diet in the next year. Stay tuned if you dare to try them!
Seaweed
Whether it’s sushi, salad or a side, seaweed is finding its way into your meals more and more these days. But in 2016, you’ll be adding them to many more recipes like pizza, sauces, cake mixes. Seaweed is a superfood that adds significant nutritional value to your dishes. Surprising fact: this sea vegetable has more iron that spinach and more calcium than milk!
Vegetable yoghurt
Yup! Another trend that you would never have thought of is vegetable yoghurt. Soon you’ll see tomato or even beet yoghurt in the grocery fridge! Don’t be fooled. They won’t be competing with your fruity snacks, but will help you out in the kitchen. These yoghurts can be used as salad dressings, sauces or even as toppings for soup – and they’re a little lighter than the dollop of cream you’d usually find!
New eating habits
2016 eating habits aren’t just about the food, but also about the way we get it.
Delivery using apps
The food industry has many mobile apps that simplify life and now it’s easy to manage a grocery list from your cell phone.
Delivery methods have also adapted to new technology. Many restaurants offer delivery service through their websites. And it’ll go even further in 2016! Several companies have developed mobile apps that allow you to order from any restaurant online from your smart phone! In fact, Uber, known for its taxis, wants to be the undisputable food deliverer. In Canada, Just Eat is slowly moving into the big cities. Thanks to an app, you can get a fresh cooked meal in just a few clicks!
Food trucks in the city
Food trucks are becoming all the rage in the US and the trend is now making its way to various parts of the world. What we like about their concept is their diverse fast food offerings and they’re easy to spot. They have vintage signage and colourful designs. Really expressive. This movement is progressing so much that you can expect to see them on every corner next year!
Improved food reviews
If we’re to trust the new trends, we’ll be cooking differently in 2016. Whether it’s in the composition of our dishes, food preparation or presentation, change is what we can expect!
Veggies steal the show
Many chefs are making room for veggies on their menus. A 2016 trend will be to highlight vegetables as the central element of a dish, relegating meat to being a side. This trend isn’t linked to a vegetarian movement. Instead, it responds to consumer demand to find larger quantities of fresh and local foods in their plates.
Making your own food
Plan some time for cooking because the trend in 2016 is homemade food. Even if it takes a while to prepare, you feel pride in what you’ve made yourself! Start with a classic homemade ketchup, then work your way up to a more complex preparation of homemade sausages.
Bowls to hold anything and everything
Do you have enough bowls? They’re trendy this year. Putting your meal in a bowl suddenly makes it taste better! Drinking coffee in a mug is now considered banal. As of 2016, it’s a must to enjoy it in a bowl normally destined for soup. Oh! And take a picture while you’re at it. It’s all the rage on social networking sites. Get inspired by these Instagram pages dedicated to good food!
Trends we like
This year, not all food trends are weird. There are also a few that we’re absolutely convinced will be totally successful in the future.
The Naked Cake
We’re seeing them everywhere. Naked cakes make you drool! And they’re are plain. We’re talking about a bare or stripped cake that’s light on the frosting. There is no outer frosting and you can see between the layers. They’re often garnished with pretty flowers or colourful fruit. You’ll dream about eating them every day! For the time being, take in some eye candy and admire pictures of these pretty cakes.
Nutritious smoothies
In 2016, breakfast will be a smoothie! It’s an excellent way not only to get your recommended servings of fruit, but also of veggies by adding spinach or kale. Green smoothies are a trend that we’d really like to adopt. To be totally hip, drink them from a bowl. You can even add pieces of fruit or sprinkle with almonds.
Quick solution: one-pot pasta
Have you heard of the latest one-pot pasta trend? If you haven’t heard of it before now, you should really try one tonight. In short, one-pot pasta is a meal of pasta cooked in a single casserole dish. All the ingredients are cooked at the same time in the same dish. Basically, you put all the food in a casserole dish, then don’t lift a finger while it cooks. Next thing you know, it’s done! Want to try it? Here are a few recipes we’d like to suggest.
Arctic Gardens puts trends to the test
In January, we conducted a survey to understand Canadians’ views on food trends coming in 2016. Out of 1,000 respondents, the popularity for some trends, as well as the lack of interest for others, was pretty obvious.
Top 3 favourite trends
1. Homemade food (78% of respondents were interested in this trend)
2. Highlighting veggies in a dish (77%)
3. Bowls for all meals (50%)
Top 3 unpopular trends
1. Insects (only 5% were interested)
2. Seaweed (24%)
3. Vegetable yoghurt (30%)
It looks like we’re ready to cook homemade food, but definitely not add insects to our diet!
We also asked people if they would try different trends. Here’s what we found:
2016 is the ideal time to get back to the kitchen and use your creativity to test all sorts of recipes, even the most extravagant ones. Some have already mustered up the courage to try several unusual culinary approaches. There are also 39% of respondents who’ve already cooked with seaweed and 11% who’ve tasted edible insects! And what about you? Which trend will you dare to try this year?
