2018 Food Trends

Every year we see different food trends, 2017 brought a lot of them, some stuck around and some are long forgotten. I am here to talk about the food trends you are sure to see in 2018!

Increase in Plant-Based Diets and Plant-Based Meats

In 2017, we saw a huge increase in consumers shifting towards a more plant-centric eating style, with less processed foods and more fruits and vegetables. This trend is here to stick around. I think it’s a great idea to incorporate more plant-based meals throughout our week, which also adds new flavors and variety. This doesn’t mean you have to be vegan but with the rise in consumers’ concern with overall health and animal welfare, you are sure to see plant-based meats becoming very popular. “Beyond Meat” is already leading the industry with a burger that looks, cooks, and tastes like real meat. I certainly think people can benefit from a more plant-based eating style but just remember, just because something says plant-based or vegan on the packaging doesn’t mean that it isn’t processed!

Food Transparency

As today’s population is becoming more health aware, we want to know how our food is being processed and manufactured. More people want to know what they are putting in their body, how and where animals are raised, and if their food is free of GMO’s. 2018 will be a year that we will see a lot of marketing geared towards these concerns.

Super Powders

Matcha powder, Spirulina, Golden Milk, Collagen Peptides, Supergreens, the list goes on! I am not here to say if these are good or bad- I would always suggest to read the nutrition label and speak with a Registered Dietitian to see if this is a good addition to your current food plan. There are endless claims regarding these different powders with little research to back any of these claims.

Root to Stem Eating

Eat the whole plant from root to stem. In today’s society, we waste billions of pounds of food,. This new eating style is formed around using the whole plant and not trimming away the stalks from the head of broccoli, or throwing away the woody ends from the asparagus. People are finding ways to use the tops from the carrots or beets or the stems from your bunch of kale. There are nutrients found in the things we so commonly toss in the trash, it is all about a matter of finding more ways to utilize the whole plant.

Dairy Alternatives

Soy, rice and almond milk have been around for some time now, in 2018 we are going to see new dairy-free kinds of milk entering the market such as hemp, pea, and flax milk. Alternative yogurts are going to be popular as well – coconut yogurt has already hit the shelves and it won’t be long before other nut-milks are in the yogurt industry too.

by Kristin Coggins, RDN