Another slice of pink toast, darling?
And ten other quirky food trends you won’t be able to avoid in 2018
WOULD you happily never eat another avocado as long as you live? Are you fed up with spaghetti made from anything other than pasta? Then, chances are you’ll be happy to see the back of 2017’s most popular food trends. But what does 2018 have in store? Here, CLAUDIA CONNELL looks at the fads we’ll all be following in the coming year...
WINE POUCHES FOR ONE
with healthier lifestyles and a growing number of people living alone, we are consuming alcohol in smaller measures.
Co-op now stocks single-serving wine pouches by a company called Most wanted. Each pouch contains 187ml of pinot grigio or malbec, and sells for £2.50.
More and more people who live alone are choosing to cook from scratch and want a glass of wine with their meal. But why not buy a bottle?
Researchers found that those living alone didn’t trust themselves not to succumb to the temptation of a second glass. Expect to see more singleserving wines in supermarkets in 2018.
JUICY VEGGIE BURGERS
ANYBODY who’s had a veggie burger in a fast food restaurant can attest to the fact that they’re often so dry and bland you may as well have eaten the paper napkin. But next year, that will all change.
the number of vegans has risen by 360 per cent over the past decade and is expected to continue to soar in 2018. Perhaps one of the things that stops people from converting is that meat alternatives are so unpalatable — with vegetarian burgers the worst offenders.
But a company called Beyond Meat has created a plant-based burger that looks and tastes exactly like a beef burger, to the extent that it ‘bleeds’ beetroot juice. the secret to its meaty taste is down to ‘haem’, an iron-rich molecule found in all living things. Meaty veggie burgers get their haem from nitrogen-fixing plants such as legumes.
Beyond Meat will launch its burger in UK supermarkets and restaurants in the spring.
PINK TOAST FOR BREAKFAST
TRENDS for low-carb diets and a reduction of gluten have led to a slump in UK bread sales, with a decline of 12 per cent over the past five years.
Retailers have been working overtime to lure shoppers back to their sandwiches. in 2018 Marks and spencer will roll out high protein, low carb veggie breads in colours including beetroot, courgette and red pepper.
so soon it will be possible to eat one of your five a day with your morning toast.
MUSHROOM LATTES
WANT a caffeine kick without the jitters? Mushroom coffee claims to give you the same lift without the jangled nerves.
the powder contains arabica coffee, but is blended with fungi including Lion’s Mane and Chaga, which are said to boost metabolism and improve brain power. Finnish company Four sigmatic sell boxes of ten mushroom coffee sachets for £10.99 and some coffee bars already offer mushroom lattes.
SWEET AND SOUR SUPER FRUIT
JACKFRUIT, which originate in south America, can weigh up to 65lb, which wouldn’t make your tesco delivery man’s day. But thankfully they’re available tinned and dried. when jackfruit are raw they taste sweet and juicy like a mango, but cook them and — as strange as it sounds — they have the same texture and taste as pulled pork. it is full of calcium and iron, and its unique taste makes it ideal for mains and desserts. At projectjackfruit.com you’ll find ready-flavoured jackfruit meals for £4.99 including BBQ and jerk.
A BOWL OF PUMPKIN PORRIDGE
PORRIDGE has been a popular, filling breakfast for years. however, as people seek to reduce sugar in their diet, savoury versions are expected to become as popular over here as they are in germany and scandinavia. german brand Verival sells savoury porridges including pumpkin and tomato flavour, and leek and onion.
London now has a porridge cafe, where flavours include asparagus and bacon. whatever goldilocks say? would
FOUR SQUARE MEALS A DAY
OUR grandparents’ generation typically ate four meals a day due to the long hours they worked. Many squeezed in an ‘elevenses’ snack or a second supper in the evening. And according to waitrose, today’s Brits are starting to do the same thanks to our increasingly long working days.
According to waitrose’s research: ‘if dinner’s early one evening, why not have a mini cheese on toast before bed? if you’re going to the gym after work, why not have an energyboosting salad mid-afternoon? whether it’s a healthy snack or an indulgent treat, we expect to see more of this in the future.’
HIGH PROTEIN ICE CREAM
how many times have you opened a tub of ice cream promising yourself just a few spoonfuls, only to polish off the lot?
Protein-packed ice creams should leave you so satisfied after one serving that you’ll happily put down your spoon, but even if you don’t, it will amount to a fraction of the calories in an average tub of haagen-dazs.
From January, tesco will sell Breyers delights ice cream from the U.s. it’s a range of high protein, low calorie, low sugar ice creams made with almond milk and containing 35 calories per scoop. Just don’t stick a flake in it!
BLOOMING LOVELY FLOWER FLAVOURS
BORED of basil? tired of turmeric? next year floral flavours will be creeping into our food and drink. Lavender, orange blossom, elderflower and violet will infuse both sweet and savoury foods.
P-P-P-PICK UP A PANDAN LEAF
PANDAN leaves, popular in thai and south–East Asian dishes, have a sweet taste and aroma similar to vanilla. it’s a flavouring in drinks and desserts but can also be used to cook rice or wrap chicken. More importantly it’s been endorsed by nigella Lawson, who said: ‘i think it’s going to be the new matcha. i noticed a lot of people baking with it in America.’
ROOT-TO-STEM EATING
NOSE-TO-TAIL eating became popular a few years ago, and now comes the vegetarian version. As people reduce waste, expect recipes and ideas for eating all parts of the fruit and veg you buy. these include things like apple peel crisps and soups and stock recipes that use vegetable stems.