No one can accurately predict how we will eat and drink in the new year, but many of us are trying.
For my own year-end ritual, I sift through the sea of ​​forecasts from the big food companies, PR firms, restaurant groups, and market researchers. Then I pick up the phone and interview the best prognosticators in the business.
I am interested in the next internet celebritychickle” (fried cheese and pickled cucumber snack.——Translator’s note) or will replaceAlmond MomandGirls dinnerInstead, I delve into micro-cultural, media, and economic data points and watch for trends to emerge.
So, what should we eat in 2024? “I like to call it a combination of high and low,” said San Francisco-based consulting firmAF&CoPresident Andrew Freeman said the company has been working with brand marketing company Carbonate to release the popularCatering and Hotel Trend Report“People crave boldness, maximalism and collaboration, but they need to feel like they’re getting real value for their money, no matter how much it costs.”
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People are looking for high-quality ingredients, but they also need to give them value, especially for Generation Z, who are becoming rational and skeptical chefs and eaters who want safe and secure rewards in their food adventures.
Luxury will no longer focus on the price or scarcity of the ingredients themselves, but on whether the quality of the finished product can make life easier and more interesting and bring more happiness to people.
“A lot of people are saying, ‘I just hope this is a great experience that takes our mind off of what’s going on in the news,’ ”ADM, a global food processorsaid Jennifer Zhou, who helps lead the flavor and color team.
But the market research company Circana analyzes shopping and consumer trends.Sally Lyons Wyatt“Many people will certainly be looking for ways to control spending next year,” she said.
Here are the trends to watch.
Snack Trend
More snack collaborations will emerge, like this Strawberry Belle Truffle Ball, and new bites from chefs for diners who are forgoing meals and opting for snacks throughout the day.
More snack collaborations will emerge, like this Strawberry Belle Truffle Ball, and new bites from chefs for diners who are forgoing meals and opting for snacks throughout the day. Taco Bell
Meals are for 2023. Snacks are for next year. Small, beautiful restaurants are a low-risk way to explore new cuisines.Shawarma Crispy WrapsSimilarly, these snacks are also the result of cultural integration. Jointly-branded snacks will continue to be launched like sneakers.French Mustard Sauce Collaborative Rainbow Candy? Milk Bar restaurants team up with Taco Bell? ) “Snacks may become the strongest low-end cool,” said consumer trend forecasterWGSNClaire Lancaster, who predicts restaurant trends, said.
Don’t stop replenishing water
Whether for high-end drinking or agricultural use, water will be a big hit in 2024.
Whether for high-end drinking or agricultural use, water will be a big hit in 2024. Rob Bartee / Alamy
Water will be more powerful than fire ever was.”#WaterTokThe popularity of “does not seem to have faded, and the content of this tag is actually viewed by millions of peopleoneA person adds the syrup and powder to a large glass of water.Water taster“Quality Drinking Water” product category andWearable Hydration SensorNew ways to make water from waste will emerge, such as the cocoa water left over after the cocoa beans are harvested. Water management will become more important as consumers seek foods and beverages that use less water to grow or produce, such as dry-farmed beans, cactus-based snacks and beer produced using pond filtration systems.
Unusual grains
Buckwheat delicacies are no longer limited to soba noodles and pancakes.
Buckwheat delicacies are no longer limited to soba noodles and pancakes. Petro Perutskyi / Alamy
“This will be the year of buckwheat,” said Carolyn Miller, food culture guru at Whole Foods Market.Cathy Strangesays. On a recent trip to Norway, she ordered a foie gras terrine with a crunchy buckwheat pancake. In New York City, buckwheat has become a staple for hot chocolate and monkfish garnished with curry. It can be blended into chai or herbs to make a drink. For the climate- and health-conscious, buckwheat is an excellent cover crop, rich in protein and fiber. All of which, of course, is to be expected by fans of soba noodles and pancakes.
Drink dinner
Brooklyn's Bonnie's has introduced its MSG Martini, a step toward making a cocktail taste like a dish.
Brooklyn’s Bonnie’s has introduced its MSG Martini, a step toward making a cocktail taste like a dish. Bonnie’s
Espresso MartiniSpecial? There’s something to be said for dinner-style cocktails. As tastes shift from super sweet to savory, savory drinks that mimic the flavors of specific dishes will become popular thanks to the magic of oil washing, clarifying and infusion. You can already find them at New York’sDouble Chicken PleaseOrder a Waldorf salad cocktail or goJac’s on BondHave a Caprese martini. Or maybe you prefer Hong KongSavory ProjectThai beef salad drinks in Birmingham, AlabamaAnvil Pub and GrillThe Everything Everywhere cocktail, made with smoked salmon infused with gin, vermouth and capers infused with bagel spice, is available at the event.
real stuff
Foods with less processing and shorter, more precise, and more transparent ingredient lists reflect a trend toward authenticity.
Foods with less processing and shorter, more precise, and more transparent ingredient lists reflect a trend toward authenticity. The Picture Pantry / Alamy
Concerns about the dangers of ultra-processed foods will explode.Mintel releases 2024 global food and beverage trends reportThe word “ultra-processed” will continue to be synonymous with harmful foods, according to the latest research from the University of California, Berries. Natural fermentation, cold-pressed oils, burgers made from nuts and beans, and good old-fashioned ingredients like butter and cream will be popular. A corollary: ingredient descriptions will become more transparent and detailed (you might see “yuzu and habanero” instead of “spicy citrus”), and include moreReal biodiversity, but not the expensive farm-to-table kind. “It doesn’t have to be that noble,” Lancaster said.
Complex thermal
Deeper, more complex spicy flavors will appear in restaurant dishes and in grocery stores.
Deeper, more complex spicy flavors will appear in restaurant dishes and in grocery stores. Caitlin Ochs for The New York Times
The spiciness will move from an immediate bite to a more subtle and multidimensional sensation, pairing it with sweet and sour flavors or layering the flavors of different peppers from different parts of the world. “It’s not just the devil pepper that’s in your face,” Strange said. “It’s more about the complexity and what you can create with it.”
Technology of the Year (Maybe)
Artificial intelligence could have a significant impact on the food supply chain and restaurant operations.
Artificial intelligence could have a significant impact on the food supply chain and restaurant operations. CreditNate Ryan for The New York Times
Artificial intelligence will be a big part of the discussion, even though many in the food industry are as skeptical of the hype as they are of NFT tokens. Some of the changes AI could bring won’t be obvious to consumers, like tighter supply chains, less food waste in large kitchens, and precision farming techniques. But others might be noticeable to consumers, like new ways to save time in the kitchen or make dining out more enjoyable.Simon de Montfort WalkerFor example, an AI-driven system could allow a server to simply talk to a guest and send the order to the kitchen via voice AI and headphones, augmented with customer preferences.
Flowers
Delicate, floral dishes like winter cauliflower with satsuma mandarin oranges at Benu herald new standards, including friendliness and cooperation.
Delicate, floral dishes like winter cauliflower with satsuma mandarin oranges at Benu herald new standards, including friendliness and cooperation. Aya Brackett for The New York Times
Color specialist Pantone declared peach pink the color of the year, and several food planners followed suit, naming peach the flavor of the year. Others said flavors such as cherry blossom and violet would dominate.Flowersbloom. It’s all about lightness, femininity, and new standards of kindness, altruism, and cooperation. Think of South Korea’sCauliflower“ofGo viral, this is a dessert made with fresh fruits, strawberry milk and iced Sprite.
Dish of the Year: Soup
Soup is the perfect vehicle for a host of 2024 food trends.
Soup is the perfect vehicle for a host of 2024 food trends. Joe Lingeman for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
The soup is high in bonesTang’s little brother is a little more interesting and is also a perfect carrier of cross-cultural integration, such asBeef Tripe and Tonkotsu Ramen. It’s also an easy way to try increasingly popular Cambodian, Singaporean and Indonesian cuisines. For cooks, it’s a low-risk, forgiving way to try new flavors and ingredients. Making soups allows for a use of vegetables that might otherwise be discarded. Trend spotters at the Specialty Foods Association predict that more soups and soup preps will appear on grocery store shelves. And soup can be a form of self-soothing. “Honestly,”Jenny Ziegler, director of food and drink at MintelSaid, “If 2024 is the year of soup,I have no opinion.”
Other small trends:Philadelphia becomes a foodie city. Pickles continue to reign supreme. Desserts using sweetened condensed milk and meringue (not always together). Pistachios are everywhere, both in color and on their own. Products that support menopause and women’s health. Breadfruit. Shrimp toast in a creative new form. The tartness of tamarind and citrus. Chilled red wine.
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