With the beginning of each new year, comes fresh new food trends. Avocado toast, cupcakes, matcha, and more have been notable trends from years past. Each year the list expands to include Instagram-worthy and delicious meals and ingredients that pop up seemingly everywhere. However, this year, we have seen a shift like never before.
As people around the globe have become more health-conscious as a result of the wide-spread health scares felt in 2020, these foods are not only shareable and delicious but also incredibly beneficial to your health. If you are looking to update your shopping list in an effort to reach new health goals, we have all your must-haves for the year ahead! As these food trends begin to flood local cafes and supermarket shelves, you can be ahead of the curve, filling your pantry with the greatest ingredients 2021 has to offer!
1. Plant-based Foods
In the past few years, plant-based foods have become more prevalent, giving vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians alike a chance to enjoy a whole new array of food. Meat made from plants that replicate the original and a long list of dairy-free milk alternatives have been abuzz in the media and on the internet. This year, expect to see large chains increasing their interest in what PlantFusion has been doing since the beginning - creating plant-based options that everyone can feel good about enjoying! Additionally, be on the lookout for new developments in plant-based "seafood.”
What to pick up for your pantry:
2. Healthy Mocktails
Health-conscious drinks that are still flavorful and fun will be a major food trend in 2021. From fresh fruit flavor-packed seltzers to kombucha and beyond, it's imperative to have mocktail ingredients on hand in this new year.
Mocktail ingredients:
3. Pickled and Fermented Foods
Pickles have always been a fun staple for the family barbecue. This year, watch as fermented foods take center stage. Not only are they delicious, offering a hit to the umami senses with their combined sweet, salt, spice, and acidity, but they're good for you as well. Beyond just pickled cucumbers, get your jars ready to be filled with fermented cabbage, onions, carrots - the list goes on!
Fermented foods are beyond just delicious - they have been proven to be excellent for gut health as well. A healthy gut can aid in creating a strong immune system, improved sleep, healthy digestion, and much more.
Your pickling must-haves:
4. Flavorful Sauces
From the power of the internet, we have truly become a global community. A great way to explore new cultures is through food. Testing and tasting foods from around the world will be big in 2021. Make sure you're prepared by stocking up on flavorful sauces! From sriracha to curries, pasta sauces, and beyond, it's a simple way to prepare for a year of adventurous, exciting eating!
Get saucy to fight healthy-eating fatigue! By having an array of delicious ways to spice up your food, you're more likely to stick to your 2021 health goals all year long.
Stock up on sauces:
5. Mushrooms
In 2021, mushrooms of all shapes, sizes, and textures should be in your refrigerator crisper drawer. Vegan foodies on a plethora of social media platforms have made mushroom the king of this upcoming year. Recipes feature mushrooms to recreate classically meat-filled dishes by using their texture to replicate beef, chicken, and even crab! Make sure you have plenty in stock for whenever inspiration strikes.
Besides being versatile, mushrooms are low in calories and fat but high in important nutrients such as protein and fiber!
Mushrooms to try:
- Portobello
- Laetiporus, or "chicken of the woods"
- Enoki
Everyone can be a foodie in 2021!
After a year spent mainly in the home, it's no wonder that creating meals has sparked a passion in people around the world. This year, it's your chance to create and experiment with new foods to explore cultures and flavors, right from your own kitchen. Here at PlantFusion, we hope this excitement for cuisine brings you to finding ingredients and meals that make you feel your best into this new year and beyond! Be sure to check out our recipes page for some healthy home-cooking ideas!
