Happy 2020: Food Trends and Inspirations

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Happy New Year! Here’s our take on 2020 food trends, both the intriguing and the ridiculous. With some brief inspiring reflections on 2019.

It’s a new year, and a new decade. A fresh slate and a new beginning. A year and a decade to act, to dream, to pursue, to create.

2020 is a year to set things in motion, to set a new life course; healthy eating, working out, saving money, recharting life…

For me, it’s all of the above. I love clean slates!

Happy New Year.

And Happy 20s.

Looking Forward: 2020 Food Trends

Like you, I’ve been perusing the 2020 trends. Especially in food trends.

Some are ridiculous… some are intriguing. Below, I’ve cobbled together my favorite predictions (without the ridiculous).

Country of the Year: Japan

The New York Times says, “That recent Instagram uptick in soufflé pancakes and the fish-shaped ice cream cones called taiyaki isn’t a coincidence. With the 2020 Summer Olympics set for Tokyo and a rise in travel to Japan, the country’s influence will extend into the American culinary landscape.”

They also predict a special emphasis on foods from India and foods like spicy Keralan dishes built from rice, coconut and fish. Foods from West Africa, Vietnam, and Laos will be popular too.

Color of the Year: Blue and Purple

Tastemakers say blue will dominate our palate this year. Butterfly pea powder tea (the new matcha!) is showing up in moon milk, a sleep remedy. Ube, a purple yam, is the new “It” root vegetable; orach, also called mountain spinach, could be the new kale. Pop culture seems to be driving this one: Pantone has declared classic blue its color of the year.

Toast or Toasted:

Imported from Asian tea shops, these toasted bricks, sometimes called Shibuya Honey Toast, are “thick slices of pain de mie that are scored, buttered, toasted and covered in sweet custard, syrup or ice cream.” Anything tea has my attention!

Other 2020 Food Trends of Note:

Vegan comfort food on the rise
Less added sugar (but… really this time)
Non alcoholic drinks
Meat alternatives, like the Impossible Burger
Healthier breads: “real sourdoughs, local, organic, and GMO-free cereals, heritage wheats, and antique grains.”
Smoked foods: “I think smoking is going to be very big in 2020. In addition to its dramatic appearance at the table, smoking provides a certain umami needed in an increasingly plant-based food space.”
Hyper-Regional cooking: My favorite trend! Hyper-regional cooking takes “local” to a whole new level. It’s “Regional food will be broken into micro-regions. Southern will break up into Appalachian, Lowland, Creole, etc. Mexican restaurants will be Veracruz, Oaxaca, Yucatan, etc. It’s a great way to learn about the food of other cultures.”

Final Thought

It’s been said:

Don’t just learn, experience.
Don’t just change, transform.
Don’t just promise, prove.
Don’t just criticize, encourage.
Don’t just take, give.
Don’t just dream, do.
Don’t just hear, listen.
Don’t just tell, show.
Don’t just exist, live.

Happy New Year!