Food trends come and go and each year we see new goods and preparations making waves in the culinary world. We are going to explore some of the food trends we’ve seen in 2024 and look forward to what we may see in 2025.

2024 Food Trends:

Food and drink options are ever-changing. Each year there are new drinks being developed and foods reaching their culinary pinnacle. According to National Geographic, here are some food trends that will become popular in 2024.

• Fresh fig leaves: This is a new twist to ice cream, curries, and as an ingredient in cocktails. Fig leaves impart a herbaceous, sweet flavor to food and drinks.
• Whiskey: Whiskey is still a big draw when it comes to liquor drinkers. While many think of Scotland and Ireland when it comes to Whiskey, there are many premium brands coming from Japan, New Zealand, France, and Italy.
• Beans: Beans are bigger than ever. With the popularity of hummus and more artisanal-style beans, they are flying off the shelves. More people are watching their diets and choosing diets high in protein and vegetarian. Beans fit both molds.
• Gin martinis: Martinis will never go out of style. They will always be fashionable. For a while, martinis were being made with flavor-infused vodkas and gins. Today, high-end gins have entered the market and are bringing gin martinis into the limelight.
• Mushrooms: Mushrooms have always been popular but there are so many different types of mushrooms they are an epicurean staple on many high-end menus. Instead of heavy meat options, many choose tasty, less processed, and natural mushrooms as their main entrée.

What We Can Expect in 2025:

More chefs are looking for natural and less processed foods. This is a trend we’ve been seeing for many years now. So should we expect to see more natural products in 2025? TheKitchenstates that we can expect to see these trends in 2025:

• Aquatic, plant-based products: Seaweed and sushi have become more popular in recent years, and they will continue to grow. Brands like Atlantic Sea Farms have products that are being incorporated into new recipes.
• Snacks: Our love of snacks will never go away, and the snack aisles continue to expand. New flavors of chips, cookies, and other bakery items continue to increase in popularity. New flavors like edamame and rice are becoming more important, healthy snacks.
• Protein: Food chains like Whole Foods report that more people increase their protein intake through protein bars, drinks, and powdered supplements. This includes items like cheeses, yogurt, and other high-protein foods.
• Sourdough everything: Ever since COVID, people have been enjoying sourdough-flavored products, with many people putting in the time and effort to create their own sourdough starters. We are now seeing sourdough pizza, pasta, bread, cookies, and other pastry items.

Chefs, industry insiders, and food influencers like Claudette Schwartz think that the trend will continue for healthy foods that are good to eat, sustainable, and healthy for you.