2021 Food Trends

Top Six Food Trends of 2021 show an increased interest in all things food.

pickled garlic scapes — *Pickled garlic scapes*

From home gardening to food preservation bringing an awareness of food’s ability to nourish both body and soul. Read on as I roundup the top predicted food trends of 2021.

2020 food trends

I started summarizing food trend reports a few years ago. And although the 2019 food trends were right on point, 2020 threw us a slight curveball. Covid 19 arrived and everything changed, including our relationship with food. What was estimated to be a year of fancy, instagrammable foods shifted as restaurants closed and people began working and living entirely at home.

Some trends changed slightly while others disappeared completely. Meanwhile other food trends rose in popularity as predicted. And some even quicker than expected because of the pandemic.

People had more time to take interest in the food chain. Victory gardens, backyard chicken coops, seed saving and creating relationship with local farmers. Canning and food preservation, cooking from scratch and cooking for happiness.

Instead of heading out to experience global flavors at restaurants people were looking to bring the restaurant experience home. Goodbye are the days of packed restaurants, buffets, grazing boards and shared plates. Instead people are cooking for themselves more than ever before. And searching for nostalgic comfort food in the form of hot breakfasts, elevated lunches and restaurant quality, adventurous dinners.

Expect the upcoming year to bring more of the same. As the 2021 Food Trends are right in line with what we saw in 2020!

Top 6 food trends of 2021

Functional foods with wellness benefits like adaptogens and medicinal mushrooms are expected to soar in popularity. With immune boosting, gut and brain and even stress management and relaxation health blains. It’s no surprise that they’re gaining popularity as people continue to focus on wellness through food. Sauerkraut, kim chi, kombucha, mushrooms, Chaga, Copaiba, cbd, ginger, green tea, chia, and caffeinated everything (desserts to breakfast to cocktails).

at home kombucha brewing — *Home brewing kombucha*

adaptogens — *Powerful adaptogen powder, Chaga mushroom.*

Comfort foods and eating with self-compassion in a soul nourishing way. Pasta, mac and cheese, hamburgers, tacos, barbecue, biscuits and gravy, pot roast, chicken fried steak, whatever your ‘mama’ used to make!

Biscuits from Scratch | flaky tender tall biscuits | flaky layers | easy biscuits made from scratch recipe homemade biscuits with butter — *Flaky Baking Powder Biscuits*

Procrasti-baking – More time at home and a desire to avoid the never ending work, laundry, dishes cycle will leave people ready to embark on in depth baking projects. Such as chocolate croissants or yeasted breads.

Sustainable choices and an overall focus on every step of the food chain. From home gardening, local farmers, eating seasonally, and food preservation people are looking to reduce food waste, decrease costs, and innovative ways to keep foods, especially fruits and vegetables, fresh longer. Fermenting, preserving and canning, seed saving, seed swaps, etc.

More than just dinner. People are finding themselves at home day in and day out and wanting to make nutritious, upscale but also easy breakfasts, snacks and lunches. Fancy pancakes, upscale egg dishes, breakfast pizza, breakfasts sandwiches, breakfast tacos, etc.

Upscale uses for common pantry items and a desire for elevated pantry items and globally inspired condiments. Hot honey, fancy salts, za’atar, dukkah, tajin, berbere, chimichurri, toum, chili crunch, lentils, dry beans, canned pasta sauces, and inventive chickpea recipes like aquafaba (using typically discarded canned chickpea water as an egg replacement).