Food and Drink Trends for 2021
Top trends for the new year.
Now that we’re into the thick of 2021, perhaps you are spotting an uptick in some interesting new food trends. The annual Whole Foods Market food prediction report gives us a sampling of what’s on tap:
Morning glories. Ditching the commute and working from home has inspired people to look for ways to elevate their breakfast meal. Gone are the days when waffles were just for Sunday brunch. Look for hasty breakroom breakfasts to give way to protein pancakes and plant-based sausage-patty sandwiches.
Coffee galore. Rejoice, coffee lovers. Expect to see supermarket shelves stacked with everything from coffee-flavored granola and protein bars to smoothie boosters and even yogurt. What a great way to perk up that breakfast parfait!
A shift from compost to veggie chips. Hoping to take a bite out of food waste, more companies are making upcycled food products that use historically trashed parts of an ingredient. An example is producing flour from the soybean pulp that’s left over from making soymilk.
Oil riches. While EVOO isn’t going into retirement, it will have to share more shelf space with an array of fanciful oils, like avocado, walnut and pumpkin seed. Also, expect to see more packaged food products, including dressings, incorporating these oils.
Chickpea bonanza. Moving beyond hummus and pasta, the chickpea seems to be making its way into everything, including cereals, not-potato chips, tortillas and pizza crust. Ready for some chickpea tofu?
No-moo jerky. Once only for long-haul truckers, jerky has taken the snack food world by storm. And now, with the rise of plant-based eating, you can rip into jerky hailing from mushrooms, banana and jackfruit in a range of enticing flavors.
Food with benefits. With more people concerned about wellness, the line between food and supplement will continue to blur. It will be easier to spot packaged foods that are enhanced with functional ingredients like probiotics, prebiotics, vitamin C and so-called adaptogens. Time will tell if these live up to the hype.
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
