We’ve successfully made it through the darkest months of the year and spring is just around the corner! We’re looking to dust off that winter feeling and toast to all things new and exciting for 2018. As ever, there are certain trends that keep reappearing on our news feeds so here are the top foodie predictions for the year ahead.
From the rise of vegan food and edible flowers to hyper-local cooking, below is a round-up of the top trends you can expect to see more in the coming months.
VEGAN
January saw the introduction of the New Year’s resolution ‘Veganuary’, encouraging people to become vegan for January in the hope it would inspire them to continue throughout the rest of year (and beyond). With consumers becoming more conscious about the environment and their health, the trend has been building over the last two years and it is expected to maintain this positive upward trajectory.
2018 will see more and more chefs and restaurants embracing ingredients such as tofu, tempeh and quinoa. Restaurants will look to take dishes back to their plant-based roots and meat-free Mondays becoming a weekly tradition in many households.
Looking to try vegan food? Top restaurants include: Mildreds, Ethos or The Allotment.
HEME
Continuing with environmental friendly food products, Heme – pronounced ‘heem’ (from the Greek word for ‘blood’) – is at the cutting edge of food science and is a possible stepping stone to more environmentally sustainable meat alternatives.
Silicon Valley company Impossible Foods is bringing the impossible to life with its ‘Impossible Burger’, which uses a fraction of the earths’ natural resources. Compared to using traditional meat, this alternative burger uses 95% less land, 74% less water and creates 87% less greenhouse gas emissions. Not yet available in the UK, however, expect this product (and more like it) to make its way into the UK food market.
EDIBLE FLOWERS
Edible flowers are now being used to add flavour to salads, soups and beverages, in fact this versatile ingredient can be added to most types of cuisine. Pansies are the best-known flower, and are often used in desserts, however they can also be added to savoury dishes for colour and texture. In addition to its flavorsome benefits, this bountiful ingredient is also known for its health elements, especially those with deep colours, as they are full of anti-oxidants. They can be grown at home and easily incorporated into a small kitchen island garden. It’s worth noting that not every edible flower is alike. While some can be eaten in their entirety, others, like the rose must have their pistils and stamens removed before eating, so please do your research first.
Looking to implement a herb garden into your kitchen design? Discuss your plans with our designers who will help curate a space for those of you with green thumbs.
FOOD TECH
With the introduction of home recipe kit services and the development of smart fridges, purchasing and managing products couldn’t be easier. Brands like Samsung are continuing to develop the ‘family hub fridge’; from updates on your groceries to notifications of expiry dates, this fridge will set to become an important part of any family kitchen.
Shopping has been made easier with the introduction of the Amazon Dash Button, an electronic device designated to a singular product, designed to make ordering goods easy and fast. Similarly, Amazon’s Alexa allows users to ask for recipes, compile a shopping list and order the products on Amazon without the push of a button.
HYPER-LOCAL FOOD
As we mentioned earlier, consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious and asking the question ‘where does my food come from?’. As a nation, there is a growing trend for dishes created with ingredients sourced within walking distance. The time is moving towards natural ingredients, clean menus and food waste reductions; we are all becoming more socially aware and essentially putting the environment first.
It’s worth checking your local supermarkets, booths in the north of England, the East of England Co-op, and Budgens and Waitrose have a good track record on local or regional food.
Our blog features recipes from our event at Divertimenti. Read more here.
Looking for design inspiration? Request a copy of our brochure or browse our blog and Instagram page for recent case studies. Alternatively, visit your local Harvey Jones showroom to discuss your kitchen design with our expert designers.
