10 Food Trends You Shouldn’t Miss in 2018

10 Food Trends You Shouldn’t Miss in 2018

Food is the most popular subject on Instagram.

So it is only logical that trendy people (and those who would like to be them) are always on the hunt for a new, decadent and unexpected food idea they can snap and decorate with plenty of hashtags.

Whether or not you are a keen Instagrammer, it does pay off to keep an eye out for the latest food trends - because even if you’re not going to take a photo, you can still savor them, right?

2018 is going particularly wild, as trends range from going back to the roots, discovering exotic cuisines and inventing weird flavor combinations. Here’s what you shouldn’t miss this year!

1) African flavors

Most people don’t have African cuisine on their radar. This is a shame, as they miss out on aromatic stews, fluffy injera sourdough flatbread and amazingly intense rubs and marinades. African restaurants are popping up everywhere, with cuisines ranging from Sudanese to Ethiopian and many more. Try one with Smunch and Nil. :)

Source: Pinterest

2) Weirdly filled doughnuts

Doesn’t it feel like we’ve seen it all? Creative cupcakes, decadent milkshakes and fried Mars bars… so after all these extravagant escapades, it’s back to basics this year with good old doughnuts - except not the classic ones we’ve known since, well, forever (think cinnamon sugar or pink frosting). Now it’s all about innovative fillings, and so there are suddenly Pineapple and Basil, Bacon and Maple Syrup or Foie Gras doughnuts… would you try them?

Source: Pinterest

3) Everything noodle

These days there are oodles of noodles everywhere, from thick Japanese udon to fine Korean ramen. The latter is traditionally served as a soup, but the latest trend is no-broth ramen, where the liquid is slowly reduced to create a dish full of flavor.

The benefit? Easy: no broth means more room for other amazing ingredients in your bowl, such as softly boiled eggs, a variety of veggies or fish and meat.

4) Back to basics: fermenting and pickles

Did your grandma have a pantry full of pickled fruit and veg from the garden? If so, she was a trendsetter! Beetroot, gherkins and Co. are becoming increasingly more popular as people learn to appreciate their health benefits and shelf life again.

Another way of preserving is fermentation. Have you noticed kimchi and sauerkraut everywhere? Well, there you go! Kombucha, that funny mushroom used to make tea, is fermented as well. We’re not entirely sure about mushroom tea though...

5) Veggie carb replacements

If common perception is to be believed, all carbs are evil. We could start a long discussion about why this is not true, but instead, let’s have a look at the alternatives people have come up with. Such as zucchini pasta.

Say what? Yeah, it’s a thing: thin spirals of zucchini used as a pasta replacement (also called zoodles). If that doesn’t work with your recipe, have a go at making cauliflower rice.

6) Poké Bowls

These colorful creations made here all the way from Hawaii. Mostly packed with raw salmon or tuna, avocado, beans and seeds, they’re full of wholesome goodness and too tasty to be missed. Poké means “to slice / cut” in Hawaiian and refers to the way most ingredients are turned into cubes before adding them to the bowl. The final touch then makes it perfect: a flavor-packed sauce!

Source: Pinterest

7) Plant-based protein

Superfood is what it’s all about these days. We want to feel energized, strong and healthy, preferably from eating lean and wholesome foods. Protein is the key to that, and plant-based protein is becoming super popular as veganism is on the rise.

Good sources are grains and legumes, such as quinoa or chickpeas, but also soy products, such as tofu. We know you need your energy, so we like to add lots of these ingredients to our Smunch boxes as well.

8) Matcha

That green stuff, what-matcha-callit? Exactly, green tea powder originating from Japan - matcha! It’s everywhere these days: ice cream, latte, candy bars… and why not, since it has 137 times more antioxidants than regularly brewed green tea.

The powder is made of specially grown and processed green tea leaves. Use to make an old-school tea or prepare some matcha shots for your next event as a real eye-catcher.

9) South American cuisines

For some reason, South American cuisines has not really been on people’s radars until recently. Some still believe that it’s all about grilling guinea pigs (but that is just a minor part of Peruvian cooking!) - when there is so much more to it!

Think juicy, tender, slow-roasted meat (maaaw… delicious!), fresh and tangy ceviche or beautifully comforting arepas like Kärrecho makes for Smunch. See it, smell it… then dig right in!

Source: Kitchen Mate

10) Raw balls and homemade granola bars

These are the days of vegan and paleo cooking, meaning that more and more food are prepared without dairy and egg (vegan) or dairy, grains and sugar (paleo). Bottom line: these people won’t touch a Snickers bar (fair enough).

Instead, raw snacks are on the rise, as bars and balls are made from dried fruits, nut butter, almonds, coconut and so on. They are tasty, sweet, satisfying and will fuel you with energy for much longer than a piece of chocolate. Plus, by making them yourself, which is quick and easy, you know exactly what’s in them!

So, are you hungry yet? We are definitely, and we’re super excited about whatever new food trends the future may bring.

Happy trying!

The Smunch Team