In today’s age of feeling good and eating better, annual food trends have become a real thing. You don’t always know what is coming up ahead but it is often possible to make predictions based on current popularity of particular foods. Here are five expected food trends that 2018 may bring out for us:
More plant-based/ vegan diets
Veganism was an incredibly popular diet in 2017 and it is thought that it will only increase in popularity through 2018. While there are other ways to decrease your carbon footprint, vegan diets have been regarded as environmentally sustainable by many. However, we cannot say that eating a certain type of diet (i.e. vegan) is any better for the environment. This is because it depends on several other factors which take production systems and waste amount into consideration.
Gut friendly food
Because let’s face it, gut health is the new thing and it’s on everyone’s mind! People usually think of fermented products or pickled veggies but it can include so much more. Eating adequate vegetables, fibre, prebiotic-rich, probiotic-rich foods and fluid intake can influence gut health. So, we expect restaurants and catering places to incorporate more gut friendly options this year.
Making food more accessible with tech
With technological advancements, we may see more apps like UberEats or apps that can filter restaurants to some of the popular diets we have seen (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan). There are speculations that drones may be taking up tasks such as coffee making or even delivery!
Single serve packs
There has been some in the market already but it is expected that this will increase further to provide convenient snacks for busy working individuals. It could include portion controlled snacks (i.e. chips) and options providing portable protein on the go.
New superfoods?
In the previous years, we have seen foods like kale, quinoa, acai, goji berries take over the market so definitely know there will be some new superfoods coming in the spotlight. As hemp seed foods has been recently legalised in Australia, it is expected that this will become a trend with hemp being included in smoothies, ice cream and other desserts. Other super foods may include nut oils, maqui berries, tiger nuts and mushroom powders/ supplements.
