These Will Be the Biggest Food Trends of 2021
Somehow we are at the end of 2020 already. This year has felt like 100 years and also two days all in one, and we're all more than a little glad to kiss it goodbye.
In 2021, many food trends we've seen start this year will likely carry over, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and people continue to cook at home, order take-out, and get more things than ever delivered. Below we've forecasted just a few things we think you'll be seeing more of in 2021.
Plant-Based Foods
Plant-based items continue to be a trend into 2021, as 28 percent of people said that they have been eating more protein from plant sources during the pandemic, according to IFIC. More people will be flirting with veganism, but others will just be eating things that taste good and happen to be vegan. Expect the usual suspects to be rolling out even more innovations, especially at fast-food restaurants, but some forecasters predict newer things like plant-based "fish" are also going to be big on the horizon.
Breakfast
As we all continue to spend more time at home (are you tired of hearing that phrase yet??), many of us actually have time to think about breakfast. Seriously, even cereal saw a huge bump this year. Next year, instead of eating a cold granola bar on your commute, expect to see more Instagrams about meal prepping breakfast sandwiches, new fast food breakfast items being released, and maybe even the resurgence of overnight oats. Oh, and on that note...
Cooking Crafts
We literally started playing with our food in 2020, and will see that to continue into 2021. From the seeds of whipped coffee (and strawberry milk...and peanut butter milk...etc) and pancake cereal will come the next wave of Instagrammable food that will probably take you hours to make and seconds to eat...but who's judging?
Pickling/Fermenting
This is a kind of 2020 trend that will only get more popular into next year...maybe because this year, we literally ran out of mason jars lids as so many people were trying out canning. Expect people showing off their gardens in the spring as well as how they will turn their harvests into jars of pickled cucumbers, red onions, radishes, and more.
Virtual Cooking Classes
Looking for a fun and safe date night idea? Tired of playing trivia with friends over Zoom for the millionth time? Expect to get more invites to virtual classes that you can do with your fam in your home or even more elaborate ones that you can follow along with friends on Zoom. Everybody from famous chefs to your favorite restaurants have these on the docket, and we think more people will be taking advantage of them next year. (Psst, Delish is already doing some, too!).
Homemade Pasta
Sourdough is so 2020. We're heading into our first full winter during the pandemic and comfort food will be the name of the game, which to us is always carbs like homemade pasta. In 2021, your feed will be full of people taking the time to make and cut delicious gnocchi from scratch, hanging their bucatini all over their kitchen, and even laboring over a big pot of Sunday Gravy. Even if you resisted the urge to get in on trends like banana bread and Dalgona coffee, it's going to be hard not to Google pasta attachments for your KitchenAid next year. Is this the year we finally love gluten again???
Delivery Services
After seeing a huge increase in demand (the Coresight Research U.S. Online Grocery Survey 2020 expected demand for online grocery services to grow by 40 percent this year), it seems like grocery services finally have a handle on this new world of increased delivery. But why stop there? Everything from meal kits to alcohol can be delivered now and people will be trying it out (we personally hope to-go cocktails are here to stay!!). Remember to tip generously!!
Eco-Conscious Packaging
This might seem particularly unlikely given all the single-use packaging we've been seeing amid the pandemic, but that's exactly why we're expecting to see more eco-friendly packaging in 2021. For instance, the company Verterra made to-go containers this year that are made from balsa from tree stumps and other innovations include compostable cardboard liners for takeout boxes that combat leaks. If you're an eco-conscious consumer, you should be able to breathe easier soon!
Expanding Your Cultural Horizons
While social media can be objectively terrible, platforms like TikTok have allowed creators from all over the world to share what they're cooking up in the kitchen during the pandemic. In 2021, we expect people will be going further than throwing these videos a simple "like" and will seek out food from cultures they may not have previously been familiar with. Then, they'll either be making the dishes at home with some help from the experts themselves (more on that in a minute!) or Googling to find the nearest take-out spot near them that serves up that cuisine.
Individual Celebrations
Gone are the days when we ate birthday cake that someone else just spit all over. In 2021, it'll be all about individual desserts and snacks as people find ways to safely celebrate all of life's milestones. Yes, that means cupcakes might be making a comeback, but also things like foil pack meals, canned cocktails, and mason jar salads. Yes, it really will be 2013 all over again!
Reasonably Priced Premium Alcohol
Best. News. EVER. We're seeing a shift from people turning up their noses at anything under three dollar signs amidst the realization that you can get quality alcohol on a budget. Because people have more time to look for the good stuff (and will be spending less time taking well shots of vodka at bars), the good stuff will be way more in demand...even if it doesn't cost much more than that well shot.
At-Home Bartending
Now that people are bartending at home, we could see homemade bitters, maraschino cherries, flavored alcohols, and simple syrups becoming increasingly popular. Don't be surprised if you have the urge to fill up your bar cart in the coming months.
Boards Of All Kinds
More like quar-cuterie, am I right?? We've already seen pancake boards, hot cocoa boards, "jarcuterie" boards, and french fry boards, just to name a few this year (even though we presumably were not having anyone over...?), so expect these to keep taking over your feed as we all look for new things to Instagram. Can we submit pizza boards to the cannon? Or is that just a pizza on a board?
Take-and-Bake Kits
As many people will likely still be staying home a majority of the time, restaurants will continue to innovate by selling take-and-bake kits. These have already included things like assembled but not cooked pizzas, bread, and other meals. You can even get steaks and deli meat at some of your favorite places! The perfect marriage between cooking and takeout.
Fast Food
As we've mentioned, comfort food has become key in the pandemic, so it's no surprise that popular fast food joints have seen huge lines for pick-up. This makes total sense because they're affordable, accessible, convenient, yes, but also they just remind us, as our Senior Food Producer June Xie put it, "of more carefree days dipping french fries of varying degrees of limpness into industrially developed mystery sauces that always taste, somehow, so right but so wrong." Expect these lines to continue and to meet your friends for a socially distant burger date in the future.
