Food trends for 2022
Article and photo by Lisa Nicklanovich
Whole Foods Market released their seventh annual Food Trends report for what consumers will be eating, drinking and snacking on in 2022. Premium beef products, hibiscus, bubbly beverages with botanicals and prebiotics, plus some new flavors consumers may have never heard of are a few of their predictions.
What is on the horizon this year for the foods, drinks and snacks people will be consuming? According to Whole Foods Market, there are some exciting new flavors coming our way, as well as ones that are familiar but reinvented.
Whole Foods Market does an annual trends prediction that takes a comprehensive look at what consumers are reaching for from a number of perspectives. The trend analysis has been quite accurate in years past. Following are some of their findings:
Fresh and sustainably grown herbs and greens are becoming more important to consumers. Innovations in indoor farming have exploded, including hydroponics and aquaponics. Urban farming that is eco-conscious is growing, as is the desire to buy local produce as much as possible. Look for greens grown in Denver.
Yuzu may not be in everyone’s fruit bowl yet, but it may make its appearance this year. The fragrant citrus fruit that resembles a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, is often found in soaps and skincare products but is now being whipped into cocktails and salad dressings. Yuzu is making appearances on restaurant menus and increasingly in grocery stores.
The popular trend of reducing the consumption of meat continues, as does consumers searching for quality products when they do eat meat. Premium products such as grass-fed beef and pasture-raised eggs are flying off the shelves.
Hibiscus has already made its way into seltzers and teas. This edible flower has staying power due to its high vitamin C content, and in 2022 will make appearances in more foods such as spreads and yogurts.
Consumers are looking for bubbly beverages with purpose. Entire aisles in grocery stores are now devoted to mocktail-type drinks based on the growth in the alcohol-free cocktail movement. While kombucha is still popular, bottled and canned beverages with a variety of botanicals, adaptogens such as ginseng, and prebiotics are flooding the market.
Sunflower seeds are not new but becoming a frequent contributor to school lunches, because many sunflower seed products are made without nuts, thus avoiding allergies. Super nutritious, these salty seeds are also showing up in unlikely places such as ice cream and dips.
Whole Foods says we will all know what Moringa is in 2022. Moringa leaves are packed with nutrients and often used in herbal remedies but can also be added to smoothies, sauces and baked goods in powder form. In essential oils, Moringa has benefits as a skin cleanser and moisturizer.
Last year, turmeric was buzzed about and appeared in lattes, soups and smoothies. This year, look for turmeric in packaged goods like cereals, sauerkrauts (fermented foods are also continuing in popularity) and even ice cream.
