Every year since 2016, food journalist Kim Severson has made her food predictions. what will be your favorite foods and drinks of the year for The New York Times.
This year was no different: she spoke to experts and read studies and reports on the subject to list some new developments that could be successful in the coming months.
“People want fun, newness and also natural foods,” says Claire Lancaster, who forecasts food and drink trends for WGSN.
Simplicity and versatility will set the tone for our choices, points out Jennifer Zegler, director of food and beverages at market research group Mintel.
What will this mix of expectations give? Check out some of the predictions for 2023 below.
The flavor of the year
The brine comes with everything. That's right, this fresh, marine flavor is one of the trends for food and drinks this year. This means that we can see more sea vegetables at the table, such as algae, and even sea urchin (can you face it?).
Favorite snack
Forget the pork rinds: This is the year to snack on crispy, fried chicken skins, or even toss them in a salad (at least in the United States). Rising chicken prices have made chefs make better use of the entire bird, drawing inspiration from Asian cuisine.
Its trump card, experts say, is crunch, which more than 70% of consumers say they look for in a snack, said Denise Lefebvre, senior vice president of R&D at PepsiCo Foods.
This is the mix of Japan with…everything
In restaurants, American chefs are combining Japanese food — one of iFood's favorites — with that of different countries, from Italy to Peru. It's worth saying that here we already do this: you've already eaten one acaramaki?
“Chefs around the world, many of Japanese descent, are fusing Japanese ingredients or cooking techniques with foods they love,” according to AF&Co and Carbonate, two companies that put together an annual hospitality trends report.
Long live the coupon!
Money is tight, so it's time to take advantage of discounts using coupons (find out here how you can take advantage of iFood). To make meals cheaper, supermarket and restaurant brands offering shorter menus are becoming more popular.
Yam, only purple
Here's an unusual trend: the success of ube, a purple yam typical of the Philippines that is already being used in food and drink recipes ranging from pies and waffles to lattes and a purple version of the piña colada drink.
Its popularity comes on the heels of other brightly colored foods, such as dragon fruit, lychee and Peruvian purple corn. Also on the rise will be floral flavors.
Nigerian flavors
In the United States, a rising star is Nigerian cuisine, with its rich and varied layers. Fonio, a drought-resistant African grain that suggests a marriage between couscous and quinoa, has become popular with chefs. What else is coming?
Share with the crowd
In 2023, experts see a change coming: the return of the custom of sharing food. “If you look at what our lives were like for a few years, we didn’t share because it was considered dangerous,” said PepsiCo Foods’ Lefebvre. “Now, the sense of community has never been stronger.”
It's okay, then, to call the crowd to share the pizzas, snacks and hamburger with French fries. What is your request?
