The biggest food trends of 2024, from cheeseburger tacos to ube

Article content

Thanks to Canada’s Food Price Report, Canadians know what to expect regarding food prices for 2024. The short version: grocery bills will go up another $700, but some food costs will drop. Now, for the more fun part of the food-related predictions: flavour forecasters, market researchers and social media platforms have identified the trends to expect on the plate and in the glass next year.

Article content

‘Melty Mashups’ and ‘Tropic Like It’s Hot’

Article content

The more than 482 million people who use Pinterest monthly don’t passively scroll as they might on other platforms. “They’re not here to just sit back and be entertained. They’re here to plan. In fact, a celebration is planned every three seconds on Pinterest,” says Sydney Stanback, global trends and insights lead, at a press preview of Pinterest Predicts 2024.

This planning mindset gives the social media service unique insight into the future. It analyzes the billions of global searches each month for its annual trends report, which has had an 80 per cent accuracy rate for four years running.

Among the 23 trends Pinterest identified for 2024 across categories including home décor, fashion and travel, it predicted two for food and beverage: Melty Mashups and Tropics Like It’s Hot.

Gen Xers and boomers will gravitate towards culinary combinations such as cheeseburger tacos (+255 per cent), gummy candy kabobs ( +170 per cent), carbonara ramen (+165 per cent), burger quesadilla (+80 per cent) and pizza pot pie (+55 per cent).

Article content

Pinterest forecasts a tropical boost across categories, imbuing foods, home décor and fashion pieces with hibiscus and hot pink. Boomers and Gen Zers are driving this trend, with increased interest in tropical chic decor (+110 per cent), pineapple mocktails (+70 per cent), crushed pineapple upside-down cake (+50 per cent), Hawaiian sheet pan chicken (+35 per cent) and coconut aesthetic (+35 per cent).

Ube 2024’s ‘flavour of the year’

Meanwhile, the North American branch of Japanese flavour and fragrance company T. Hasegawa has named ube the “flavour of the year” for 2024. The fragrant root vegetable originated in the Philippines, and its vibrant violet hue has taken social media by storm.

According to T. Hasegawa’s annual 2024 Food and Beverage Flavour Trends Report, ube’s combination of earthy, nutty and sweet flavours sets it apart.

“Its natural sweetness makes it an excellent choice for a variety of applications, from desserts to savoury dishes and beverages. The subtle earthiness and nuttiness of ube create a well-rounded flavour profile that is both comforting and intriguing.”

Article content

(The report also expects comfort foods to take the spotlight in 2024, “providing a sense of nostalgia and familiarity as a respite from the fast-paced world.”)

Brooklyn-based home baker and author Abi Balingit describes ube’s delicate flavour as “a cross between vanilla and pistachio” in her cookbook, Mayumu. “I love ube. Ube is one of those main Filipino flavours that has really gone mainstream,” she said in an August interview with the National Post.

Ube halaya (ube jam) is a dessert on its own, writes Balingit, and can be used to top halo-halo and add dimension to chiffon cake and cheesecake bars.

Putting the ‘plant’ back in ‘plant-based’

According to Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council, producers will put the “plant” back in the “plant-based” category next year. The retailer’s ninth-annual trends report predicts that instead of mimicking the “bleed” and taste of meat, 2024’s crop of veggie burgers will be unabashedly vegetable-forward.

Ingredient listings will shorten, and plant-based products will contain easily recognizable components (known in the food industry as “clean label“).

Article content

“We’re seeing new and emerging protein-forward products with mushrooms, walnuts, tempeh and legumes in place of complex meat alternatives. Even plant-based milk alternatives are participating, with some brands simplifying labels to just two ingredients — perfect for the vegetarian purist.”

See the recently released second edition of Lukas Volger’s Veggie Burgers Every Which Way for inspiration amplifying the plants in your patties. When the first edition came out in 2010, plant-based burgers were a different beast. And while Volger views the innovations that have since taken place as positive, he’s never craved veggie burgers masquerading as meat.

Instead, Volger celebrates burgers that taste like what they are — “creative expressions of vegetables.”

‘Trust the process’

Like Whole Foods’s “clean label” prediction, market research company Mintel expects clear communication to be essential in 2024, especially regarding processed and ultra-processed products.

Article content

With some experts calling for health warning labels on ultra-processed foods and new research revealing the nuance required (some are harmful, others are healthful), consumers will become increasingly aware of food processing. As they weigh the level of processing when grocery shopping, brands will need to remind them of the benefits, the report underscores.

“While ‘all things in moderation’ is a saying associated with highly processed products, there’s growth potential for minimally processed food and drink that focus on the positive aspects of food-processing techniques, such as those that enhance nutrition, inhibit contaminant formation or improve sustainability.”

Mintel’s 2024 Global Food and Drink Trends report suggests consumers are open to buying lightly processed food that makes it easier to eat more fruit and vegetables.

It found that 47 per cent of Thai, 32 per cent of Canadian and 33 per cent of Irish consumers consider how food contributes to their daily produce intake when making choices. Forty-seven per cent of American shoppers think processed fruit and vegetables, such as canned tomatoes and fruit cups, are a good substitute for fresh.

“Brands offering minimally processed products — such as frozen produce, fresh bakery items and natural canned soup — should share how processing improves their products in ways such as enhancing nutrition, increasing shelf life or reducing environmental impact.”

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our cookbook and recipe newsletter, Cook This, here.

Article content