Five Food Trends That’ll Never Die

Creative chefs in small communities in the Deep South have hit upon an unlikely combination: Kool-Aid pickles. Commonly sold out of homes to hungry children, Kool-Aid pickles are exactly what they sound like: Dill pickles cured in Kool-Aid (usually red, but other colors aren’t unheard of). It’s not as bad as it sounds; the sour tartness of the pickle nicely contrasts the sweetness of the sugary drink.

Even so, Kool-Aid pickles are a food trend that probably won’t make it out of the south (where pickle juice holds a revered status). Here are a few food trends that are probably here to stay.

Spicy Foods. As food trends go, this is one that’s been building for years. Many food trends arise as ethnic groups’ populations rise and “foreign” foods become more popular. With the increase in the availability of cuisines like Thai and Indian food, we’re likely to see more curry, cumin and chili pastes. As these foods rise in popularity, elements of dishes like pad thai and tikka masala will show up in fusion cuisines, further inuring the American palate to spiciness. And as processed foods become more and more bland, those of us with more adventurous tastes will seek out more diverse flavors, fueling the demand for spice.

Organic Foods. High quality foods may be hard for many people to come by, causing obesity and poor health to rise. But the search for healthy, wholesome edibles never ends, which makes the rise in organic foods more than just a food trend. As information about the origins  of food becomes more widely available, and the dangers of pesticides, antibiotics and genetically engineered foods more widely known, consumers will want more opportunities to buy food that’s grown simply and safely.

Superfoods. It’s convenient when you’re able to get plenty of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in one simple serving. Foods like broccoli, carrots, mixed berries, nuts, seeds and raw chocolate provide benefits beyond those of common foods. They’re also versatile and tasty. Food trends with staying power tend to be food trends that multitask – in this case, the overwhelming health benefits combine with great flavor and ubiquity to ensure that superfoods are here to stay.

Vegitarianism and “Flexitarianism.” Nutritionists and public health mavens have been advocating a primarily vegetarian diet for years, and it seems the public is finally starting to listen. A recent CNN article credits the American Dietetic Association with the claim that a quarter of Americans follow a “flexitarian” diet – meaning meatless meals at least four days a week. Food trends in the earlier half of the Twentieth Century favored meat with every meal; these days, food trends tend toward good digestive and cardiovascular health, which means more plants.

Comfort Food vs. Haute Cuisine. Not all food trends are about good health; many are about taking things we love and reinterpreting them in a new way – like the deep-fried Twinkie. Invented by chefs at the ChipShop restaurant in Brooklyn, NY, the deep-fried Twinkie became the flagship of new comfort food: Familiar, but with a twist. Count on food trends like this – new interpretations of classics – to repeat themselves as new classics are born.

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