Culinary Trends for 2020
Once you get a chance to read about culinary and restaurant trends 2020 has brought along, you will notice that the general theme is health, for the body, the planet, and the society as a whole.
With the year at its beginning, it is high time to get on board with its trends. Most of them have been introduced sometime back and are expected to maintain the popularity, or even boom this year. These have been put together as a result of online research and interviews conducted by reliable sources such as Yelp, Social Media, Food&Dining, BBC Good Food, etc.
Catering to different dietary trends
The availability of information and a vast base of knowledge raise awareness of the impact of the food people consume. Many people are trying to determine what it is that they require in order to be at their best. This is why diets today tend to be very specific and very strict. The best advice to anyone preparing food, be it for the family, or for restaurant guests, is flexible. Create menus with dishes that can be altered to fit a variety of specific dietary requirements. Also, to make it clear that you care, point out that you are happy to tweak the dishes to fit different demands.
Milk for everyone
Speaking of different dietary trends, dairy-free always comes up. If you want to prepare food and drinks for those who do not eat dairy, you will have to look into milk alternatives. Some of the most popular kinds of milk are made from soy, peas, oats, coconut, flax, hemp, and a variety of nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds, peanuts). You can serve them as drinks, in drinks, or use them for cooking. Make a choice depending on their nutritional value, taste, ability to mix with other ingredients, texture, etc.
Veggie meat
This trend seems to be unstoppable as we are getting better at making vegetarian and vegan meat. Vegetables will be replacing meat in many dishes and the chances are that you will not even notice it unless you are paying close attention. Such food is becoming readily available and easy to prepare as we have large producers stocking up supermarket aisles with their products.
Great quality meat
Meat eaters will also be picky this year. As previously mentioned, everyone cares about what they put in their bodies and there is no exception here. Protein-based diets will maintain their popularity this year. We should go back to old-school farming and produce hormone-free meat as this is what people will be asking for.
Location, location – fusion cuisine and hyper regionals
Evolution is still taking place and we can easily notice it on the example of taste buds. People seem to be bored with the common tastes which is why they create new, unusual cuisines. It is also a matter of creativity and matching tastes. Fusion cuisine is a way of creating an interesting taste. By combining two different cuisines a dish is often more acceptable, yet still an exotic one. On the other hand, we give way to differences by not only enjoying national cuisines but by exploring them regionally and preparing regional food.
Superfoods and probiotics
You will find superfoods in any healthy diet. However, they also often find their way into meals which are generally considered unhealthy, as a way of compensation. This year will be no different when it comes to superfoods so get your pen ready. Avocado, this fatty fruit is still a valuable ingredient of many strict diets. Fermented food is a way of getting good bacteria in your system. Adaptogens work to reduce your level of stress in a healthy way, look for ashwagandha or Rhodiola, for example. The list isn’t complete without turmeric, microgreens, a mixture of seeds, and pulses.
Sustainability
Finally, sustainability is a big part of everything nowadays, and food preparation in 2020 will be no different. This ranges from using locally grown, organic ingredients, to using pretty much everything and properly disposing of what is potentially left over. Reduce your eco-footprint by reducing food miles, recycle, compost, grow your own food.
It is good to see that staying healthy is one of the top trends for 2020. There are obviously many ways to do this, so for once, it is not that bad to go with the flow. Choose a trend which suits you best, or combine them into a great experience if you are a part of the food industry.