Welcome to my 2020 food trend predictions. I know they say you should start the New Year as you mean to go on and this is well past the New Year, but my studying is taking up so much time right now! But at long last here is the first post of the year, so to business. Long time readers know that each year I like to do a little research, just for fun, to see what might be trending food-wise for the next 12 months. I have used no metrics or any other fancy pant’s kind of research. Just a lot off googling and a tiny bit off magazine reading. Obviously there is a bias, I am a life long vegetarian so that new way of doing chicken is not going to appear because I have zero interest in it. I have picked 10 that I think will not only just appeal to me but to you too. So sit back and let’s go through my top picks.

Star Fruit

I remember eating star fruit as a kid and thinking it was so fancy and unusual. Sweet and firm it makes a great addition to a fruit salad. But the number one reason pundits have it down to be popular this year is because of its qualities to be pretty and interesting for Instagram! Yep, that is the world we now live in…

Keto Foods – Low Carb

Apparently following the Ketogenic diet is going to be the way to go this year. I personally find that any diet that is restrictive in any foods needs to be looked at carefully before being embarked upon. And this is coming from a lifelong vegetarian! I know, sounds kinda weird but I do get my protein from other sources. But there are plenty of people that swear it is the best diet they have ever been on and it is great for weight loss. I just find it a bit strange that a diet designed for epilepsy control has become fashionable. But each to their own, go check it out if you want restrictions on carbs (my personal favourite foods) and a higher intake of protein in your diet.

Dark Chocolate

I tend to find with dark chocolate you either love it or hate it. But for baking and other kinds of desserts, I much prefer it over its sweeter milkier cousin. Its flavour is much deeper and richer lending itself to baked goods much better. So I must say I am not mad at this one appearing on the list.

Pea Milk

Non-dairy kinds of milk are continuing to rise in popularity across the globe right now and apparently the next new trendy one is going to be pea milk. Made from yellow split peas, yes, I too thought it was going to be green milk. I don’t know if I was excited by that idea or not, to be honest. But I shall definitely give it a go once I see it on the shelf of the shops.

Traditional Desserts

We are going to see a return to a more traditional dessert pallet this year apparently. Apple pie, sponge puddings with custard and rhubarb crumbles will be the order of the day. It will be interesting to see if this one comes true or if they will have more modern twists on them. Either way, I’m happy I love old fashioned desserts.

Alternative flours

It seems that a wide range of flours are going to become very popular this year and not just with the gluten-free population. Chefs will be using them to create different flavours and textures in their food. I have experimented a little with some of the more readily available alternative flours, in particular, coconut flour which I really enjoy working with. I have seen adverts for banana flour and I really fancy giving that one a go.

Jackfruit

This unassuming Asian fruit is very quickly becoming the darling of the veggie/vegan world. When I first tried it it was like a revelation. It makes the best fake pulled ‘pork’ ever. It is not easy to come by fresh in the UK. Or at least not in Scotland but a lot of the Asian supermarkets do have it available tinned. Its a great meat substitute, and it’s a great alternative if you are not a fan of Tofu or Quorn. So please, when the opportunity arises give this one a go and I look forward to seeing more of it in 2020 and am glad it has made the 2020 food trend predictions list.

Alternative sweeteners

Date syrup, maple syrup, rice syrup, agave syrup….. pretty much anything ending in the word syrup seems to be a go here. I think this choice is gaining momentum as we are starting to move away from more refined products and sugar seems to have become the big bad once again. As someone who just loves cake too much, I can’t see me going totally sugar-free. I am all for alternative sweeteners but nothing truly beats sugar in a cake. But when it comes to drizzling on oatmeal or adding a little sweetness to a salad dressing then I am all for one of these sweeteners. Also, they are lovely when added to a nice cup of tea.

Frozen foods

Initially, I was a little surprised to see this one pop up on so many industries predicted lists for 2020 food trend predictions. But apparently supermarkets and shops are massively increasing their freezer departments as people are finding it better to buy fruit & veg frozen. It creates less waste and is oftentimes a lot cheaper. I guess the same can be said for a lot of foods. For some reason, there has always been a bit of snobbery around using frozen food, but I for one am happy to hear that shops will be expanding their frozen ranges. As it is the freezer I turn to when I need a quick and healthy meal on a work night when I can’t be bothered with prepping all of my veggies. Frozen veg on more than one occasion has been my saviour. And a lot of the time frozen fruit is perfect for a lot of baked products and yummy desserts. With this increase in demand, let’s hope that the range also increases.

Adult ice cream

Boozy ice cream anyone? I think I could definitely get into this one. But the flavours are going to to have to be interesting to get me to try it. I am not a fan of the old fashioned rum and raisin ice cream. I find it just sticks in my throat. But gin and tonic is another thing altogether, or pina colada maybe? I guess there could be a multitude of fancy cocktail ice cream combinations that could be made. I will definitely look out for this one when the summer arrives.

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