2019's Biggest Food Trends, According to Food Network Kitchen
We did the research — here's everything you'll be eating (and 'gramming) next year.
Armando Rafael
It’s been a year. We did a thing (a lot of things, really.) And now it’s time to move on ... to a whole new year's worth of Instagram food bait and everyday-good-eating trends.
To figure out what we can all look forward to eating in 2019, we at Food Network Kitchen dug through research to uncover what trends are stirring in the industry. Plus, we’ve asked our food-obsessed audience and sifted through our own pantries for new ingredients and gadgets to come up with these predictions.
What's on our mind? Well for starters, alternative ingredients and maximalist party dishes (we're taking cues from the 70s and 80s, for sure), but also a return to tried-and-true dinners and the satistaction of a simple family meal. Plus, these ten specific trends that you're sure to see on shelves, stoves and social media in 2019:
Tahini Breaks Out
Tahini, the Middle Eastern staple came into our lives years ago when Americans figured out just how good hummus tastes. But now, tahini is breaking the mold using its tannic taste to improve our chocolate chip cookies (pictured above), flavor our favorite ice creams and even add a little something extra to our after-work cocktails.
Teri Lyn Fisher
Luxe Pasta
Next year, let’s fill 2018's anti-carb, pasta-shaped hole on our dinner plates with luxe, project-worthy pasta dishes. Think: timpani and egg-stuffed raviolis for weekend dinner party mains.
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CBD Feels in Food and Drink
CBD (aka cannabidiol) rose to the top of the pack in the world of edible relaxation. The additive won’t get you high, but it’s hyped for claiming to calm anxiety and treat insomnia. CBD is showing up in more snack foods, gummies, seltzer and coffee drinks.
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Frozen Food Heats Up
Millennials DID NOT kill the frozen food industry. In fact, we are finally seeing an uptick in frozen food after a years-long slump in the category. More veggies, much cleaner labels and a need for convenience foods that are cheaper than takeout are driving this trend. Look for the frozen food aisle to grow over the next several years.
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Everything at Your Doorstep
Delivery isn’t new, but the rate at which delivery technology will even the playing field among retailers is. On-demand delivery, shopping apps meant to improve customer experience (both in and out of the store), and the rise of direct-to-consumer will disrupt the global food and grocery industries over the next several years. Basically, retailers will need to build real relationships with consumers if they want to keep their loyalty.
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Upcycled Foods
We throw away $162 billion worth of food each year and companies are starting to take note. 2019 will be the year of the value-added with companies looking maximize profit with scraps, like brewery waste into flour and vegetable scraps into juices.
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Biohacked Snacking
Snacking isn’t just a time-filler anymore — it’s a way to multitask, thanks to superfood ingredients. So it’s no surprise that snacks that promise to do more are finding their way onto shelves at a rapid rate. Look for chocolate quinoa bars, collagen cookie bars, ice creams blended with veggies, kombucha granola and probiotic cheese.
Rethink Soul Food Flavors
Young African-American chefs, like Eduardo Jordan, Todd Richards and Mashama Bailey are opening restaurants around the country and writing cookbooks (like Richards's aptly titled Soul) that will redefine the singular definition of soul food. Keep an eye out for West African supergrains, like fonio (which is similar to quinoa), North African spice blends (like ras al hanout and berbere), and tangy Caribbean flavors showing up in recipes. Plus, we'll see a lot more Creole and Low-Country cooking techniques to try out in the new year.
Motifs Take the Cake
Think of these visual and textural over-the-top treats as mini food vacations offering respite from the everyday. Bold colors, screen print, textured cakes (we love Alana Jones-Mann's newly iconic shag cakes) and hand painted cakes are a stark contrast to the naked cake which has dominated rustic wedding themes of past years.
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Stick Around for a Drink
The low-alcohol trend continues, so we'll say goodbye to the strong elixir-like cocktails of the early aughts. Now, mixologists are shaking up the status quo with a nod to the seltzer craze. Look for sessionable highballs, wine-based spritzers and OTT large-format beverages meant for sharing.