Food forecasting is a fascinating exercise and, as we welcome 2017 into our lives, the folks at Whole Foods offer a look of delicious things to come.
"Our top trends indicate the kinds of fun, exciting products and ingredients shoppers can expect to find as we head into 2017," says Molly Siegler, culinary director at Whole Foods. "Our teams of global buyers and culinary experts track consumer preferences all year long and watch what's new in the marketplace to create our picks for the year ahead."
Anne BralyThis year, top predictions are all about wellness tonics, products from byproducts, and purple foods, according to the trend-spotters at Whole Foods, who share more than 100 years of combined experience in sourcing products and tracking consumer preferences.
So let the countdown begin.
* Wellness tonics. Juicing remains popular, but the popularity of wellness tonics - beverages made with botanical plants and herbs, spices, vinegar and other natural ingredients - is on the rise. The year's hottest picks will draw on beneficial botanicals and have roots in alternative medicine and global traditions. Buzzed-about ingredients include kava, Tulsi/holy basil, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, medicinal mushrooms such as reishi and chaga, and adaptogenic herbs, including maca and ashwagandha.
* Products from byproducts. Whether it's leftover whey from strained Greek yogurt or spent grains from beer, food producers are finding innovative and, in many cases, delicious ways to give byproducts new life. Examples include Eco-Olea, a company using water from its olive oil production as the base for a household cleaner line. Condiment brand Sir Kensington is repurposing leftover liquid from cooking chickpeas to produce a line of vegan mayonnaise. And Atlanta Fresh and White Moustache are using leftover whey from yogurt production to create probiotic drinks.
* Crazy about coconut. Move over coconut oil and coconut water. Coconut flour tortillas, coconut sugar aminos and more unexpected coconut-based products are on the rise. Virtually every component of the fruit-nut-seed is being used in new applications. The sap is turned into coconut sugar as an alternative to refined sweeteners; the oil is used in a growing list of natural beauty products; and the white flesh of the coconut is now in flours, tortillas, chips, ice creams, butters and more. Look for items such as coconut flour Paleo wraps and coconut chips.
* Japanese fare. Eating inspired by Japan's fare is on the rise and it doesn't look anything like a sushi roll. Long-celebrated condiments with roots in Japanese cuisine such as ponzu, miso, mirin, sesame oil and plum vinegar are making their way from restaurant menus to mainstream American pantries. Seaweed is a rising star as shoppers seek more varieties of the savory greens, including fresh and dried kelp, wakame, dulse and nori, while farmhouse staples like Japanese-style pickles will continue to gain popularity.
The trend also will impact breakfast and dessert as shoppers experiment with savory breakfast bowl combinations and a growing number of mochi flavors like green tea and matcha, black sesame, pickled plum, yuzu citrus and Azuki bean. This move is playing out in products such as 365 Everyday Value sweet sabi mustard.
* Creative condiments. From traditional global recipes to brand-new ingredients, interesting condiments are taking center stage. Once rare and unfamiliar sauces and dips are showing up on menus and store shelves. Look for black sesame tahini, habanero jam, ghee, pomegranate molasses, black garlic purée, date syrup, plum jam with chia seeds, beet salsa, Mexican hot chocolate spreads, sambal oelek, mina harissa and ancho, chipotle and guajillo adobo sauces.
* Pasta reinvented. Today's pastas are influenced less by Italian grandmothers and more by popular plant-based and clean-eating movements. Alternative grain noodles made from quinoa, lentils and chickpeas are quickly becoming favorites, while grain-free options such as spiralized veggies and kelp noodles are also on the rise. That said, more traditional fresh-milled pastas are having a moment, too, which means pasta is cruising into new territories with something for everyone.
* Purple power. Richly colored purple foods are healthful, lovely to behold and are popping up in produce sections and store shelves, showcasing purple cauliflower, black rice, purple asparagus, elderberries, acai, purple sweet potatoes, purple corn and cereal. The power of purple goes beyond the vibrant color and often indicates nutrient density and antioxidants. Corn cereals, potato chips, tortilla chips and sweet potatoes are just some of the foods that will be sporting purple this year.
* Flexitarian. In 2017, consumers will embrace a new, personalized version of healthy eating that's less rigid than typical vegan, Paleo, gluten-free and other special diets that have gone mainstream. For instance, eating vegan before 6 p.m. or eating Paleo five days a week or gluten-free whenever possible allows consumers more flexibility. Instead of a strict identity aligned with one diet, shoppers embrace the "flexitarian" approach to making conscious choices about what, when and how much to eat. Growing demand for products such as apple cider bone broth, cashew yogurt and riced cauliflower - used for clean-eating favorites like gluten-free pizza crusts - point to growth in this clean-eating category.
* Mindful meal prep. People aren't just asking themselves what they'd like to eat, but also how meals can stretch their dollar, reduce food waste, save time and be healthier. Trends to watch include the "make some/buy some," approach, like using pre-cooked ingredients from the hot bar to jumpstart dinner or preparing a main dish from scratch and using frozen or store-bought ingredients as sides. Fresh, oven-ready meal kits and vegetable medleys are also on the upswing as shoppers continue to crave healthier options that require less time.
Those are some interesting trends that put a healthful spin on 2017. Happy new year to you all.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.