22 Jul Food Trends to Sink Your Teeth Into
Humans have been creatures who eat to live for long enough, now we enjoy a society where many live to eat. Food has blown up as a culture of its own; smoothies, sandwiches, pies, pizzas, burgers, pasta, and a whole manner of desserts are no longer stock-standard, but as weird and wonderful as the cooks who’ve conceptualized them. Even the dining experience has gone through a great deal of change since over the last 5 -10 years, but today we’re going to focus on emerging food trends we’ve noticed in 2019. Time to tuck in:
CBD PRODUCTS
In 2017, the holy herb was decriminalised in South Africa. What this meant was that the personal use of marijuana, in your private home, was no longer a criminal offence. The great thing about this legislation was that the stigma about cannabis was slowly being eroded. Cut to 2019, the local market is being flooded with CBD products including beer, coffee, and dog treats — a few restaurants are even adding CBD oils to their pizza.
Before you go thinking you’ll be getting high on date night, CBD products are made from hemp which is part of the cannabis family but does not contain any of the psychoactive properties we know dagga for.
GLASS IS THE NEW PLASTIC
Faithful to Nature forms part of a tribe of global eco-warriors that have been saying no to plastic for over a decade. #PlasticFreeJuly is an initiative that has gained a great deal of popularity in the last 3 years. But in the last few months, we’ve seen more restaurants; food, cosmetics, lifestyle and fitness brands; grocery stores and shopping centres replace their plastic products with more sustainable substitutes. ‘Triple R’, is a mantra you hear more often these days because people have taken to Refusing plastic products, Reducing their waste, and Reusing their glass containers.
“UGLY” FOOD
When it comes to this charming trend, the uglier the better. We all know that GMO produce is pumped with growth accelerants, emulsifiers, flavourants and colourants to make them bigger and sweeter, but vital nutrients are lost in the process. More consumers are embracing organic and naturally bizarre looking food because there is the assurance that it is as natural as possible and therefore filled with all the goodness our bodies need.
FOOD HALLS & CAFETERIA DINING
Though my memories of boarding school are foggy, I always remember being studious about getting to the dining hall with at least one friend. For obvious reasons, sitting alone at lunch seemed like an unsurvivable scandal among insecure, awkward teenager girls. Now, I actually prefer going to lunch alone – spending time with myself or catching up on a few emails – this trend lends itself well to that.
A norm in Europe and America for some years now, South Africa is only recently embracing food halls. Similar to a typical cafeteria, you get your plate of food and set up at a group table you’ll share with up to 9 other individuals you can choose to interact with or not. It’s great for creating a sense of community.
PROBIOTICS
You don’t prioritise your gut health?! Booch, please! By using probiotics to improve and maintain a healthy digestive, you ensure that you stay regular and boost your immune system too. More health fundis are introducing good bacteria into their diets by drinking kombucha, taking probiotic supplements, or having yoghurt at least once a day.
Brew your own kombucha at home, and you can make a whole manner of mocktails or ice lollies from them.
FARM-TO-FORK ON THE RISE
Millennials are making sustainable living fashionable and one such trend is the farm-to-fork ethos.
Essentially, consumers are leaning more towards restaurants that grow their own produce. Not only is it reducing the eateries overall carbon footprint, but if diners have access to the food growth and production site, it ensures full transparency in terms of use of pesticides and insecticides. Farm-to-fork is a great opportunity for job creation and benefits the local economy, which is why businesses are appreciating that it isn’t just reserved for restaurants but some food makers are jumping on the bandwagon too.
RUM COCKTAILS
Who would’ve thought that in 2019, we’d be embracing the pirate’s life? With the collective move away from sugary cocktails to spicy, more aromatic flavour notes, gin – and now rum – have grown incredibly popular. More and more these days responsible consumption seriously and low ABV (alcohol by volume) options have become the order of the day. This means we’ll see more tables ordering rum and bitters with garnishes of fresh fruit.
REFERENCES:
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a25608959/food-trends-2019/
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/food-trends-2019
https://www.delish.com/food-news/a25347490/food-trends-2019/
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