From the mid 1950’s to early 2000’s, television and newsprint advertisements contributed much to our imagination and cravings and the shaping of food trends. Social media took over in recent years, especially with the increasing popularity of highly visual platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook.
For the first time in the history of mass media, advertisers can truly rely on everyday people to promote their products for free. Not only that, but sharing a product on one’s social media account is an endorsement. Powerful stuff. What is even more powerful though are the beliefs and expectations that go along with our love of food at this time in history. More than ever, integrity, transparency and plant-based are in.
Transparency is the key word here. Virtually all analysts and observers mention this as the core of our food values in the second decade of the 21st century. We want to know that what we ingest comes from clean sources and a respected workforce. “Local” is the operative word, as you might imagine. Preparation preferences also emerge from our current relationship with food. Here are a few random bites that are predicted to be hot, hot this year:
- Roasted Vegetables
- Root Vegetables
- Lettuce Wrapped nuts, meats and vegetables
- Soups (they already outrank juicing)
- Natural, alternatives to sugar (maple syrup tops the list in Vermont)
- Popcorn
- Highly colorful fare
- Highly tactile foods (sandwiches, tacos, nachos, pizza, drumsticks…)
- Tea (Earl Gray outranks coffee)
Of course, food trends are personal as well. Where is your food mood taking you these days?
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