Here are all the biggest food trends you can expect to see in 2024, we’ve identified the foods you’ll be seeing on restaurant menus, social media and store shelves soon.
Over the last year, we’ve seen a wide range of food and drink trends that mirror evolving perspectives on health, community and the environment. From shifts in consumer behavior to developments in home cooking and dining out this year promises to be a fun ride for food enthusiasts. So, without further ado, let’s explore the many food offerings throughout 2024..
2024 Food Trends
Cacao Pulp
This once discarded byproduct from the production of chocolate is now emerging as a delicious, nutritious, ingredient in cacao fruit juices, candies, jellies, and jams. Cacao fruit powder, made from cacao pulp, can replace refined sugar in fat based fillings which is exactly what Nestlé first started doing in 2019.
This fruity, sweet, tangy and slightly acidic ingredient has the added benefits of powerful antioxidants plus economic benefits for West African farmers, and environmental benefits from turning harmful waste decomposition into cacao products.
The Temperature is Rising
The need for heat continues to increase in 2024 the continued emergence of infusing complex flavor-enhancing ingredients such as Tajín, Takis, Sriracha, hot sauce, Thai chilis, Calabrian chili peppers and other specialty peppers into cocktails, beverages, candies, wings, desserts, dishes and more.
A sub-thread of this heat trend is textural heat which are sauces and dry blends from textural oils and condiments. A couple of examples include Chinese chili crisp made with chilies, Sichuan peppercorns and spices in oil with fried onion and garlic, and macha salsa, an oil-based spicy condiment made with seeds, nuts, garlic, and dried chilis.
Plant-Based Foods
Vegetarians, flexitarians and climate and environmentally consciousness people continue to drive the plant-based food trend in 2024. Tastier, healthier, and more innovative options continue to be introduced including using algae for food, beverages, and supplements; more innovative vegan meat options; global flavors and spices, and plant-based bread.
Faux fish or plant-based seafood products are also set to explode with advances in whole-muscle cut plant-based seafood through biomass fermentation, leading to realistic plant-based fish fillets, fish sticks, shrimp, scallops, and more. Costs to produce has been the main issue but expect to see the costs fall in 2024.
Buckwheat
As a gluten-free, highly nutritious whole grain, buckwheat is perfectly situated for today’s health conscious consumer. Buckwheat is actually not wheat but rather a seed of a flowering plant and can be used in a variety of dishes. Buckwheat flour can be used as a flour substitute in baking and is great for pancakes, cakes, cookies and much more. Buckwheat groats, triangular-shaped hulled seeds, are similar to quinoa and can be used in soups, salads, rice pilaf substitute, trail mix, desserts and much more. With the increasing demand for organic food and gluten-free products we predict a rise in buckwheat related products and uses in 2024.
Clean Caffeine & Natural Energy Drinks
Many consumers perceive traditional energy drinks as unhealthy due to their synthetic ingredients, artificial sweeteners and high sugar content. Natural or clean energy drinks are often organic, low in sugar, low in calories, environmentally friendly produced and have naturally derived ingredients like green tea, yerba maté, organic caffeine, vitamins, and botanical extracts. Thus, expect to see natural or clean energy drinks break through in 2024.
Premium Instant Noodles
People crave easy, ready-to-eat food products but they also want flavor and quality. Combined with the rising popularity of ramen and noodle establishments expect to see an increased demand in the Instant Noodle Market featuring still relatively low priced options such as Nissin Foods Hot & Spicy Fire Wok and NongShim Shin Black Noodle Soup.
Single Serve Treats
Consumer behavior has shifted from eating desserts at the end of meals to eating more desserts as a snack. As a result more restaurants, especially quick service, are now offering mini cakes and other bite-size desserts as anytime snacks, post-lunch or dinner treats or on the go according to Nation’s Restaurant News. Home entertainers, amateur chefs and TikTok creators are even getting in on this newest trend with a variety of mini inspirations.
More 2024 Food Trends
- Premium meats – Not everybody is moving to a plant-based diet so this is the counter-trend, “Carneficionados.” Consumer demand has created a market for premium cuts of meat, and Tyson Foods and specialty meat purveyors alike have rolled out highly graded cuts like short ribs, briskets, steaks, American and Japanese wagyu beef, domestic Iberico pork (from Texas) and much more.
- Birria – Birria, an ancho and guajillo chilies spiced and stewed beef from the southwestern Mexican state of Jalisco, have already popped up on taco menus throughout the U.S. However, now the birria craze is set to take the next step with creative additions on burritos, burgers and sandwiches and we haven’t even started discussing its tasty variation, quesabirria.
- Pretzels – Pretzels are vegan and considered a healthier snack alternative that have been increasingly popping up on menus through the U.S. Wetzel’s Pretzel’s even launched Twisted by Wetzel’s, which includes pretzel based food offerings such as hot dogs, flavored pretzels and pretzel churros.
- Pickles & Pickled Foods – Viral TikTok challenges like the Hot Pickle Challenge and TikTok user Claire’s “girl dinner” video, pickles wrapped in fried cheese, are contributing to this trend. Pickle-flavored variations of foods, including chips, ketchup, dips, and more, are gaining traction as homemade pickles and other vegetables. Additionally, there is a growing interest in older pickle-inspired creations, such as Amba sauce, a Middle Eastern condiment made from pickled green mangoes.
- Camel Milk – Plant-based milk alternatives have been on the rise but some those gains may be given back to new milk alternatives such as camel milk. Camel milk is gaining recognition as a functional food with essential ingredients such as being high in antioxidants and nutrients like Vitamin A.
- Peaches – Peaches have been used as a flavor ingredient for centuries but in the coming year expect to see new variations and re-imagined ways of incorporating peaches into recipes and drinks.
- Florals – Antioxidant-rich hibiscus is already a current food trend but expect to see the emergence of additional flowers such as jasmine, rose, cherry blossom, lavender, elderflower, honey blossom, and eucalyptus. Flowers not only add flavor to dishes and drinks but also have functional properties that promote health and wellness that people crave.
- Value & cost of cooking – Inflation is on the rise, job growth has slowed and there are economic concerns so consumers will be monitoring their budgets. As people may need to make choices about how they spend their money, people will look to less expensive meat cuts and budget friendly ideas for eating out and eating at home.
- Improved cutting-edge technology – From precision fermentation, cheese without cows, to cultured meat and fish, expect to see sustainable foods with more comparable taste and texture to the original.
- Regenerative food – Regenerative organic agriculture focuses on regenerating soil health through methods such as cover cropping, crop rotation, compost, and bans the use of chemicals and synthetic inputs such as GMOs, antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides and fertilizers. Additionally, animal welfare is protected through organic livestock methods such as pasture-raised, grass-fed, restrictions on the use of antibiotics and hormones and providing suitable shelter.
- Reuse, upcycling & zero waste – As sustainability and environmental impact concerns increase people are looking for new and innovative ways to reuse foods so there is zero waste. This includes creatively using food byproducts to create innovative dishes and products.
2023 Returning Food Trends
Here are our top food trends for 2023 that show no sign of slowing down in the coming year.
Nostalgic Mashups & Brand Collaborations
People love their childhood comfort foods and the appeal of comfort food mashups and brand collaborations will continue in 2024 with new and exciting combinations. We’ve already seen brand collaborations such as Ding Dong Twinkies, Old Bay Goldfish Crackers and CHEETOS Mac ‘n Cheese FLAMIN’ HOT. Home recipe mashups have included taco burgers, buffalo chicken lasagna and cheeseburger quesadillas. We’re doubling down on 2024 that these mashups will continue.
Swicy Food
In 2023, Pizza Hut (Hot Honey Pizza & Wings), Chick-fil-A (Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich), Arby’s (King’s Hawaiian Sweet Heat Sandwiches), Buffalo Wild Wings (Hot BBQ), Dutch Bros (Mangonada Rebel) and Burger King (Frozen Fanta Kickin’ Mango) all introduced menu options featuring sweet and spicy foods or beverages. In 2024, we expect to see many more products, menu items and trendy TikTok recipes featuring sweet and sweet spicy combinations.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms earned a well-deserved spot on our list for 2023, and this culinary trend will not stop in 2024. They are equally popular as a sustainable ingredient and as a plant-based protein source. While not actually a plant but a type of fungus, mushrooms are full of nutrients, low in calories and offer meaty textures despite not being high in protein. Mushroom-infused drinks like coffee and teas are also gaining in popularity while the availability of specialty mushrooms is more prevalent than ever before.
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