Food Trends for 2024

Out with the old, in with the new! Food trends for 2024 are shaking things up!

This is one of my favorite topics. Exploring the Food Trends for the new year and hashing out what experts are predicting will be hot and what will not.

Starting with what’s out.

• Alcohol: I think we’re going to see a lot of people continue to turn away from alcohol in the new year. People love taking part in “Dry January”, but I’m predicting in some cases it will continue beyond the first month of the year. Mocktail innovation will be on the rise but claims that it will focus more on the integration of specific ingredients rather than just the lack of alcohol.
• Boards: Bear with me, I love a solid charcuterie board just like the next person, but I think we will see some of these trends start to die out a bit. The truth is, they are EXPENSIVE! Meats and cheese costs really add up and they aren’t super sustainable. I think some of the boards will go bye bye in 2024.

Now what’s in and what can we expect?

• WaterTok: Some influencers brag about their shelves lined with every color of the rainbow when it comes to their Stanleys. New ways to use waste to make water will pop up, like cacao water from what’s left after the cocoa bean is harvested. And of course, fruit infused water.
• ChatGPT Recipes: Have you experimented with ChatGPT yet? It can do a lot of things, including giving you recipe ideas based off a list of ingredients. They tend to be simple recipes, think stir fry
• Cottage cheese desserts: We started to see this in 2023 and I think it will continue. Have you heard about the cottage cheese cookie dough?? The idea of making treats with lower-calorie and higher-protein ingredients is nothing new, but some of the TikTok recipes are wild. Cottage cheese cheesecake, ice cream, cake, pudding. I plan to try that cookie dough asap!
• The Scooped Bagel: We saw this in 2023 as well as a digital creator wanted the taste of a bagel without all the carbs. Scoop out the breading and voila!
• Snacking is IN! Big meals are so 2023. Next year will be all about snacks. Small, delicious bites are a low-stakes way to explore new cuisines. They’re a canvas for cultural hybrids like hard-boiled egg wrapped in Kraft mac and cheese and deep fried. Would you try that???
• Buckwheat leads the charge: In New York City, buckwheat is starring in hot chocolate and coating monkfish dressed in curry vinaigrette. It’s being spiced with chai or vanilla and turned into drinks. Soba noodles are also in this year. Love me some Yakisoba!
• Complex Heat: Heat will start to be paired with sweet and sour flavors. Think spicy chocolate protein balls.
• Little Luxuries: As the stresses of a struggling economy, wars and pandemic have taken their toll on our mental health, many people are turning to single-serving culinary indulgences to get them through another day. This trend also allows for consumers to afford smaller-portioned, typically unattainable luxury items like caviar rather than shelling out hundreds of dollars on products that could go to waste.

What food trend are you most excited about?