TOP 10 FOOD TRENDS PREDICTED FOR 2022

There is a lot of upheaval in the food industry, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. New trends are anticipated to hit the culinary world every year, but some of them will endure for a long time. The way we eat has changed significantly over the last few decades. People have become more health-conscious, and the food industry is doing its best to accommodate. Nutritionists have been able to make their voices heard as well as bring new ideas to the table. It has resulted in a lot of changes in how we cook and what products are available on supermarket shelves. From innovative cooking techniques to growing your produce, here are 10 food trends that will be unique by 2022.

1) More people will grow their own produce.

Growing your own produce isn’t a new idea. In fact, it has been around for centuries as a way to save money and have some control over ingredients. However, more people will start growing their own food. This is especially true of items that are less common or harder to find fresh. For example, a lot more people will decide to grow unusual herbs, vegetables, and even fruits. This will have a big impact on the food industry as it loses customers to those who can provide a fresher, healthier product without additives or harmful chemicals that could be found in products from other sources.

2) Hydroponic farming will become very popular.

Large-scale hydroponic farming was adopted by many companies in 2018, and the trend will only continue to grow. Unlike traditional soil farming, hydroponic plants are grown using water rather than soil. Because of this, farmers don’t have to worry about the quality of the soil or how it has been treated with chemicals. It also means they can maintain a healthier environment for the plants by not having to worry about harmful chemicals and using less water than traditional farming.

3) We will see more vegan and vegetarian options.

The population is becoming more aware of how beneficial plant-based diets are. As a result, they will become much more mainstream in the next few years. Supermarkets will carry more options that cater to this type of dietary requirement. It won’t be unusual to see vegan restaurants in most cities by 2022 either. This is true even if people are not eliminating meat and seafood from their diets. Instead, they will eat smaller amounts of quality meats instead of having them in excess. This will be good for the environment and people’s health as well. Vegan foods are also healthier for the body than meat-based options, which mean people will look at them more often.

4) Innovations in the way we cook and eat our food.

Many of our ancient cooking techniques are seeing resurgence in popularity. People are attempting to recapture the way our ancestors ate by using hot stones as an example. Everything from kebabs to pizza is now cooked this way, allowing for meat and veggies alike to be seasoned differently than they would if they were cooked by more traditional methods. Digging a hole in the ground to cook in is another ancient tradition that is starting to come back. This allows people to use less fuel and have more flavors for their food, which will change how people eat when they are camping or on trail rides.

5) gluten-free choices will be more widely available.

A lot of people are either allergic to gluten already or choose to avoid it for health reasons. Because of this, many supermarkets have started selling only gluten-free products in special areas of their stores. This has become so popular that it will start spreading to other types of food as well. For example, you might start seeing gluten-free sections in restaurants to cater to those with special dietary requirements. Of course, you could also expect to see vegan or vegetarian versions of food, which are often naturally gluten-free as well.

6) Drinks will be less sweet

This is not to say that drinks are going to be bitter, but they are going to have less sugar than before. Instead, there will be more healthy options on the shelves at stores and in restaurants alike. This means drinks like iced tea, lemonade, and yes – even water will be popular choices. This will mean people will stay hydrated without having to worry about sugar content or calories, which is a win for everyone. Many good dinner date restaurants and bars have already started this trend by using fresh fruit for their drinks instead of artificial syrups, but it will become more common by 2022.

7) Meal kits that cut down on cooking time.

This has actually been around for decades in different forms. However, it is starting to become more common now as people are realizing how much money they could save if they bought pre-made meals to cook at home. Because many people are so occupied, they may not have the time to cook or prepare meals on their own. These kits might be quite useful since they generally contain fresh produce as well as other components for a complete meal that can be quickly prepared when you get home from work. Instead of having to cook everything from scratch, they may just take out the different components and put together a quick meal in ten minutes.

8) Seaweeds will replace some traditional produce.

People are generally used to having fresh vegetables and fruits on their tables, but they may start seeing more seaweed in the near future. This is especially true for people who live close to the ocean or even inland producers that grow this product. Seaweeds will be easier to store than entire plants, meaning they can stay fresh for longer. This will also cut down on space that is needed to store produce at your home, which is a huge benefit as well as less work to clean and prepare the food for consumption.

9) There will be a larger focus on where your food comes from.

Gone are the days when all that mattered was what a product tasted like. People started becoming more concerned with where their food came from and how it was made, as well as whether or not it had harmful chemicals. Supermarkets will need to be careful not to mislead customers and must provide information on how and where their products were sourced, as well as information on how they were made. People want to make informed choices, and they can only do that if the necessary information is available.

10) Better alternatives to plastic packaging will be used in retail foods.

There are so many resources being dedicated to recycling these days that people look for alternatives to plastic packaging. Not only does this help the environment but it also makes products more cost-effective for retailers since they can use recycled materials instead of purchasing new ones all the time. This will be a big change in the food industry, as well as other industries that use plastic on a regular basis.

The future is here. People will be making informed choices about their food, and the options available to them are more plentiful than ever before. More people will grow their own produce, Hydroponic farming practices will be more common to produce fruits and vegetables in urban environments, and there will even be kits that can cut down cooking time in half for people who don’t have the luxury of doing so. Some traditional produce may also be replaced by seaweed among other things, but people, in general, are becoming more concerned with where their food comes from. The next five years will see a shift in the culinary landscape, as these top 10 food trends predicted for 2022 are already part of it.