Whole foods released a list of the items its experts anticipate will have a place in your shopping cart in 2018. The list was compiled by industry experts, trend forecasters and buyers, so what they think will sell is likely what we’ll also be seeing on store shelves — and in Instagram photos — in the coming months.
Many of the items aren’t brand new. Take tacos for instance. They appear on the list even though we’ve been obsessing over them for years. But it’s the boundaries the taco folks are pushing that lands them on the list — seaweed shells and even chocolate tortillas filled with ice cream.
Here’s the full list of projected food trends for 2018:
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Flowers on everything
From foragers to celebrity chefs, the edible petal trend will be in full bloom. Full flowers or even just the petals will appear in drinks and snacks. The trend adds subtly sweet taste, fresh aromatics and a ton of curb appeal to everything from lattés to cakes. Rose-flavored everything will also pick up in the U.S. even though the flavor has always been popular across the pond.
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“Super Powders”
Protein powders are already a staple for many Americans, so matcha, maca root and cacao are a natural next step. Ground turmeric powder is still graining in popularity as are the dark green spirulina and kale. Expect to see many more products promoting their use.
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More Mushrooms
If you don’t like mushrooms, 2018 is not your year. Mushrooms have a ton of health benefits, so they’re appearing ground up in powders and added to just about everything. People will add them to morning coffee and smoothies, and even soap and hair care products.
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Middle Eastern influence
Things like hummus, pita and falafel were tasty Middle Eastern foods for beginners, but experts say consumers are now ready to dive deeper in what they’re eating and where it comes from. People will want to learn the traditions behind specifically regional cuisines and cultures like Persian, Israeli, Moroccan, Syrian and Lebanese food. Spices like harissa, cardamom and za’atar are expected to hit more menus.
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Transparency 2.0
Consumers want to know how food appears on their grocery store shelves. GMOs, Fair Trade, sustainability and animal welfare are all top of mind.
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High-Tech vegan
Vegan has come a long way since the tofurky. Science will advance plant-based foods to create more availability of things like “bleeding” vegan burgers or sushi-grade “not-tuna.” We won’t know the difference between dairy-free items like frosting, brownies and ice cream.
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Puffed and popped snacks
Crunchy snacks have always been popular. Kale chips took the scene a few years ago, but now people are getting creative and puffing all kinds of snacks from cassava to Brussels sprouts to pasta bow ties.
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Toying with tacos
Far from the savory tortilla recipes, tacos show up for breakfast and dessert. Shells become seaweed with poke fillings. Breakfast tacos stuffed with eggs and sausage. Or chocolate wrappers filled with ice cream and walnuts. Classic tacos won’t go anything. They’re getting upgrades too like grain-free for paleo fans.
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Root-to-stem
Strawberry greens, watermelon rinds, broccoli stems, celery leaves — we’re been throwing away perfectly good parts of these fruits and vegetables. It’s time to take these off your compost list and learn to cook with them.
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Non-Alcoholic bubbly
LaCroix may be the big name in the game, but that was just the start. There’s a whole category of bubbly beverages with interesting flavors waiting for consumer love. Elderflower, mint, ginger-strawberry, birch. They’re a far cry from sugary sodas. In fact, they’re a great alternative if you need that carbonated fix for your day.
So do you agree? Have some of these already made appearances in your own kitchen?
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