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Trends of 2019: Lean, Green and Clean

January 24, 2019 | Daily Bite

You've made it through the first month of 2019, but what does the rest of the year have in store for foodies? Find out now!

From keto to kale, here’s a look at the latest food trends and what they mean for the new year.

Lettuce Gets a Makeover
Since the Romain E. coli scare of 2018, more varieties of leafy greens have been making their debut. One new player is “celtuce”, a cross between celery and asparagus, which has a longer stalk and a bitter, leafy top. We can expect to see more wild weeds as well, such as dandelion greens. Whichever green becomes most popular, it won’t be the overused Little Gem lettuce or kale.

Veggie-Focused
Many restaurants are starting to integrate more vegetable entrees into their menus. Additionally, diet trends are pointing to a mix of keto, which is a low-carb, high-fat diet, and “pegan,” a mix of paleo and vegan. It seems that all that’s left to eat is veggies!

A New Take on Tea
Originating in Taiwan, Cheese tea is green or black tea topped with cream cheese, cream, or condensed milk. It is expected to go mainstream in the US this year and is already growing in popularity in San Francisco. There’s a first for everything, right?

Get used to Umami
Umami is a Japanese term that means “deliciousness,” and it's one of the five basic flavors in addition to salty, sweet, sour and bitter. Umami denotes a savory taste and will make headway in 2019 with the popularity of seaweed, mushrooms, and fermented foods like kimchi and kombucha.

Conscious Consuming
Plastic straws and plastic bags are becoming a thing of the past, but consumers want to do more. Restaurants will feel the pressure to reduce all packaging waste. This will be done by investing in reusable cutlery and cutting down on meat consumption. Restaurants or food companies will also be seen taking a stand on social issues, being the first-responders to global crises and demonstrating that they care as much about the people behind the food as well as how the food tastes by supporting farmers, workplace inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

How many of these trends will carry throughout the year and which of them will move to the back burner, as New Year’s Resolutions often do? Let's wait and see!

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