The Food Trends to Watch Out For in 2016

Food, like fashion, goes in and out of trends. Of course, there’s that jam you love so much you buy it each month, and you’d never think of switching from your favourite cheese, but few of us are immune to the foodie fads which come and go. Some just last longer than others.

For example, up until a few months ago no one had ever asked us for pomegranate molasses or za'atar - and although they may not be on every shopping list, we do get a fair number of people asking for them now! You can’t go into many British restaurants nowadays without seeing pulled pork on the menu in one form or another - which a couple of years ago was a rarity. In a year or two it will disappear again (at least for a while). And who had heard of charcoal cheese up until recently? Now it flies out of our chiller cabinet!

So what are the food trends for 2016 we should be keeping our eyes open for? Here’s some we’ve heard about...

• Fermented vegetables - mark our words, you’ll soon be falling in love with sauerkraut and the Korean delicacy kimchi. In fact, Korean food as a whole will be big news.
• Cauliflower is the new kale - roasted, steamed or riced, the humble British vegetable is making a comeback.
• Melon juice - move over coconut water, there’s a new juice in town...
• Good things come in little packages - taster menus and mini everything are definitely en vogue. Why have just one dessert, when you can have a taste of four?
• Find your perfect Matcha - Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder, which can be added to all kinds of foods and drinks. Gwyneth Paltrow is apparently a fan...
• Everything’s black - from food scorched over charcoal, to squid ink, rice and specially cultivated vegetables, black is the new....er...black.
• Sugar alternatives - with many people trying to cut down their sugar intake, alternatives such as agave, date and maple syrups as well as honey will prove more popular than ever.
• Seaweed - packed full of nutrients, expect to see seaweed popping up in salads, seasonings and snacks.

What new food trends have you spotted on the horizon?