Food Trends

Food. I love to eat it, cook it, look at it, and talk about it. I could talk about food 24/7, which I do. That's why I have this blog. So you guessed it, today we are going to talk about food, food trends that is. I love you quinoa, kale and Sriracha, but you are so 2014. Now at almost half way through 2015, I've started to catch on to what's cool for food in 2015.  Below, I've rounded up 12 food concepts that are trendy for 2015.

I decided to join Eventbrite in their project on trends in food & drink which is asking bloggers to talk about the results of a study they conducted that you can view here - and also to share my favorite trends and predictions for 2015. I've used Eventbrite on various occasions, which is a great platform that assists you in finding events in your areas. They also have free event management tools to get the word out about your event here.

1. Coconut Oil- You can use it on dry skin, on your cuticles, as chapstick, on split ends, in your coffee, as a butter substitute, as an oil substitute, the list goes on! Coconut oil is on the rise, but with all it's usages and health benefits it should really stick around. Follow this link for 99 more ways to use coconut oil. 

2. Beets- In the past year this veggie has really gotten a facelift. Before it seemed you only heard of them pickled in a can, but now they are being found roasted, juiced and baked with. Beets are actually super good for your liver and a great detox veggie. In this article they are stated as one of the healthiest foods in the world! I have this beet tart pinned and ready for me to bake! 

3. Lavender- I love me some lavender. I've used it in cookies, cupcakes, smoothies, granola etc. My current favorite is getting lavender in a cocktail. This little flower keeps popping up and I'm not complaining.

4. Homemade English Muffins-My instagram has strangely been filled with food bloggers and friends making homemade english muffins. It is currently at the top of my "to bake" list. English muffins have always been around but kind of overlooked if I had to say. 2015 is making a change for these little guys though. I plan to use this recipe soon, as seen on  Sharing Thyme. 

5. Hybrid Vegetables- Ever heard of a kalette or broccoflower? Farmers must be getting bored of their average carrots and kale because they are now mixing this with that, and that with this to create a whole new genre of  hybrid vegetables. Keep your eyes open and you may start seeing these veggies show up on your menu more often. 

6. Cashew Milk-Almond milk I love you, but step aside because cashew milk is stepping in. Non-soy, non-dairy milks reached $1.8 billion in sales by the end of 2014. Many people have complained that almond milk is just filtered water but cashew milk is much more. Since cashews are so soft they create a really thick creamy liquid almost similar to a watered down milkshake.

7. Grapefruit- Such a great source of Vitamin C. I've been seeing them pop up in salads, brûléed on breakfast menus, in cocktails and even in sushi rolls. Citrus is so good for you and grapefruits are a great change of pace from oranges.

8. Whole Foods- Eating more whole foods and less processed food was one of my new years resolutions. More and more people are switching up or adding more simple whole foods to their diets. The Whole30 diet has also become super popular. This is a trend that needs to stick around. 

9. Craft Beer- The industry jumped up 18% in the last year and craft beers are now 1 out of 10 beers sold in the market. I just had a friend do a whole year long project on the craft beer industry because of it's current demand and popularity. "Not too early in the day for one of these I hope, I'm thirsty!" 10 points for whoever can name that movie. 

10. Food Trucks- I swear a new food truck pops up everyday. In Oklahoma City we have food truck parks and food truck festivals to celebrate these restaurants on wheels. I had to include them on my list because food trucks are definitely fun and trendy, but in my opinion, 2015 may be the last big year for them.

11. Brunch- No longer is it a meal after church, but now it is a weekend staple and hobby for most people. It was  recorded to have gone up 65% in the past year and the most popular brunching cities include NYC, DC, San Fransico, Atlanta and Chicago. Snaps for my beloved DC. My favorite DC brunch spot was hands down my mushroom tart from Le Diplomate.  

12. #foodporn- Guilty as charged. If you follow me on instagram, you know I'm all about my food grams. So many of the accounts I follow are solely food based. It's so natural these days for someone's meal to come out at a restaurant and before grabbing for their fork they grab for their phone to take a picture. 

Do you agree, were you surprised, do you have more food trends on your own radar? I'd love to hear your thoughts to see what you think is on the rise in 2015!

Annie