The Food Trends to Look Forward To In 2022

As we are getting closer to the end of the year, we look at food trends for 2022. Food trends are triggered through the development of technologies, changes in dietary habits and perception of health benefits. Here are the top 5 top food trends to look forward to in 2022:

• Plant-based foods
• Immunity-boosting ingredients
• Tastes of home
• Transparency
• Bubbly Beverages

These trends are not new. Rather, the trends progressed over the years.

Plant-Based Foods

The plant-based food industry has been on the rise and appears to continue to trend upwards in 2022. According to the article “Food & Beverage Trends to Watch in 2022 and Beyond” by Kadence International, the plant-based market is forecasted to be worth over $80 million by the year 2030.

Plant-based patties intending to substitute meat patties, such as Beyond Meat, Impossible Meats, etc., have been integrated into fast-food restaurants and cafes that provide alternatives for consumers seeking a plant-based diet or meat alternatives.

The scarcity of regular meat throughout the supply change challenges and COVID-19 has also boosted the sales for plant-based products. Consumers seek sustainable and low carbon footprint diets. Naturally, the existence of plant-based food products assists consumers in transitioning into these diets. The rise of plant-based food provided alternatives and began to normalize for those who intend to transition into a plant yet do not want to give up the enjoyment of eating foods that taste like meat.

According to Kadence International, it is expected for the year 2022 that plant-based substitutes for foods like meat, snacks, and cheeses will help grow the industry even more than in previous years (2021).

Immunity-Boosting Ingredients

While the consumers desire food that helps their diet, they are also seeking food that can positively affect their overall health. Food that is seen as healthy or beneficial to a person is known as “functional foods.”

Although consumers have long recognized the importance of incorporating functional foods into their dietary habits, the COVID-19 has driven the demand forward. This is especially true as consumers are looking forward to increasing their immune systems to protect themselves and their families.

There are many types of functional foods that may boost immune systems. Here we share functional foods that may promote gut health and may indirectly boost the immune system. Food such as

• kefir
• yogurt (w/live active cultures)
• pickled vegetables
• tempeh
• kombucha tea
• kimchi
• miso
• sauerkraut

These foods are good for our gut health as they contain natural prebiotic and probiotics that help displace bad bacteria in our guts.

Tastes of Home

One of the many impacts of the global 2020 COVID lockdown was shifting the trends from “eating out” to “eating at home”. The similarities are the consumers are still looking forward to enjoying good food and restaurant experiences. Thus, this leads to the rise of delivery services and home-cooked meals.

The advancement of technologies and delivery services leads to the mass availability of food meal delivery kits and appliances meant to create a home-based restaurant experience. The rise of popular meal delivery kits such as Hello Fresh, Fresh Prep, and many others serves consumers who desire restaurant experiences and fresh foods through an easy-to-follow recipe with fresh ingredients sent to your doorsteps. Meal delivery kits allow us, the consumers, to take the kits and make the food fresh and customized to personal or family needs. Have you tried these services?

The availability and advancements of technologies don’t only leave us with simple slicers, dicers or blenders to work with. Rather, it creates a space for larger appliances that can complete the cooking with minimal human intervention, making cooking much easier. Check out these 32 Smart Kitchen Appliances and imagine endless food that you can make. Whether it is about making your morning first coffee to meeting your daily meals’ needs, there are endless appliances that can work their magic.

Transparency

Ever wonder or curious about what you are eating and where foods are from? Consumers are interested, and they want to know the ingredients, origins and the story of how the food is made and the people who made them.  Have you ever seen a Radio-Frequency Identity Tracking (RFID) system in the form of barcodes that you can scan on packaging materials? When you scan the barcode, you are taken to the website and stories of how the food is made and how it goes from farm to grocery stores? It is a long journey but one that consumer appreciates.

Have you added the RFID barcode to your package so you can share your stories?

Bubbly Drinks

Can we get away from bubbly drinks? Soda? Sparkling beverages? Carbonated drinks? These trends are here to stay! While bubbly drinks may appear to contain a high amount of sugars, food businesses have found alternate ways to increase the popularity of the drinks -that is, to incorporate ingredients that are perceived to have health benefits into the drinks.

According to Restobiz Canada, it is expected that food companies continue to add probiotics, prebiotics and botanicals. I also have recently tasted sparkling drinks made with natural cherry with vinegar, sugar-free. Have you tasted any amazing sparkling drinks recently? One of the most enjoyable and great-tasting beverages is soda or sparkling/carbonated beverages.

The Bottom Line

We are looking forward to seeing how these food trends develop in 2022. These trends are innovative and fulfill the consumer needs for healthier food, better immune systems and taste and experiences.  Do these trends meet your expectation as the food trends to look forward to in 2022? What trends are you looking forward to? Or what trends will you be adapting in your food companies?

References:

Food & Beverage Trends to Watch in 2022 and Beyond. Kadence International.  Retrieved on Nov 27, 2021, from https://kadence.com/food-and-beverage-trends-to-watch-in-2022-and-beyond/.

Whole foods market highlights top 10 trends for 2022. Restobiz. (2021, October 20). Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://www.restobiz.ca/whole-foods-market-highlights-top-10-trends-for-2022/.