Every day we are exposed to a wonderful plethora of foods on a cultural and or creative level.
Whether it be through social media, by simply exploring new restaurants in your city, or thanks to food trends, we see tantalising eats everywhere we go – or in this case, we want to try.
If you love everything there is to do with food and find yourself jumping on the next food trend, then keep on reading because we did our research and found out that this is what we will be eating in 2023.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are one of those foods that, when cooked and prepared properly, are delicious. They are also rich and savoury, with a hearty texture that can make your meals more substantial.
Versatile mushrooms are not brand new to the superfood category, but their cult-like status is reaching the masses today.
Not only is the consumption of ordinary mushrooms on the rise, but they are being found in more and more unexpected places, from mushroom powder to adding punchy flavour to alternative meats.
A clean plate
Calls for clean label claims in plant-based foods are becoming louder. Concerns over ultra processing and long lists of ingredients have resulted in ingredient supplier innovation of clean label, plant-based functional ingredient replacers for texture, flavour, and appearance of label-unfriendly ingredients.
Cold brew coffee is here to stay
Even though cold brew coffee has been around for a while, it still has not lost its flare. Cold brew is one of the most delicious, flavoursome, and richest types of coffee in the market.
According to coffee experts, it is a trend that will endure for years to come because of its simple brewing method and superb flavour.
Charcoaled fruit and veg
Head chef at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, Norman Heath said having starters, desserts, breakfasts, lunches, and suppers made on the braai will be a thing.
Heath said charcoaled or blackened fruits and vegetables are cooked from the outside by wrapping them in foil or cooking them naked before immersing them underneath hot charcoal until caramelised, blackened, and cooked.
Favourites to try this with are a whole pumpkin, watermelon, or vegetables from the gourd family.
Dates
This ancient fruit is not just a delicious, sweet, stand-alone snack – it has recently made its way into sweeteners and syrups, and manufacturers are increasingly leveraging dates’ caramel-like flavour in packaged sauces, hot drinks, and a seemingly endless array of baked goods and snack foods.
Produce meets pasta
According to Whole Foods Market, there is a new crop of plant-based pasta alternatives to help us all up our veggie and fruit intake, with ingredients like spaghetti squash, hearts of palm, and even green bananas.
They revealed that whether you are looking for a special diet substitute, a way to incorporate more produce into your diet, or simply want to try something new – the new plant-powered pasta alternatives offer something for everyone.
Deep “fake” meat is here to stay
Plant-based eating has seen radical growth this year, and it is set to maintain that trajectory for next year. That is right, according to reports, 2023 will welcome further plant-based eating spearheaded by an increase in deep “fake” meat.
Every grain of bread’s comeback
Chef Slobodan Stefanovic said as the costs of basic ingredients like flour and bread go up, people are looking at whichever grains are in the cupboard to use for everyday staples.
Stefanovic said the trick is to experiment with the same bread recipes over and over again using different variations of South Africa’s local grains like sorghum, mealie meal, or mabele meal.
“Sorghum, mealie meal, and mabele meal are gluten-free and therefore a great choice to be enjoyed by everyone. Others try to include barley, sorghum, whole wheat or any flour or meal to create bread loaves, dombolo or pap,” he said.
Alcohol-free cocktails
Mocktails we shall always have with us. Why the added interest in 2023? Part of that may have a lot to do with New Year’s resolutions, but there is the added factor of being just far enough out of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown mentality to start contemplating the long-term health implications of some of our collective bad habits during the pandemic.
The other reason for a rise in popularity may well be that some markets are just more interested in cannabis than alcohol.
Artisanal butter
Did you ever think you would be spreading butter over a cutting board to impress dinner guests? Well, here we are. While the trend of artisanal butter boards might not stick around, focusing on quality butter will.
Consumers are stepping up their butter choices by buying international butter, flavoured and compound butter, and butter from grass-fed cows, with a focus on the quality and purity of the grass.