Sugar is allowed again and other food trends for the new year

Superfoods, they were there, but they mainly stayed. We got our own avocado restaurant, massively filled the blender with cauliflower florets to get as few extra calories as possible with our curry, and the slawrap was also a thing. In 2018, we are going a bit more back to basics, where real products can just get a place in the fridge may. Curious about what awaits you in the new year? Then definitely read this.

Vegan is getting even trendier

Last year we massively sipped on green smoothies to get our daily shot of vitamins. We continue to replace our packs of spaghetti and rice with courgetti and ground cauliflower, and plant-based milk is also getting a permanent spot in our fridge. Cheese and eggs? No more poached eggs every day for breakfast.

A little sweet, a little salty

We don't find the contents of that orange wrapper from Tony's so delicious for nothing. We can't even get enough of the sweet-salty combo. And there's a reason for that, just take a look here. Savory and sweet remains a match made in heaven.

Not too lean

Sugar is allowed again, but of course, also here in moderation. However, we will no longer hysterically ban sugar from the supermarket shelves. Back to basics. No more light and we can also forget the word lean. Puff pastry made from butter, a dollop of real whipped cream, and that good steak can just be cooked in a good chunk of real butter.

Less is more

With just a few ingredients, you can make the tastiest things. So you no longer have to fill your pantry to the brim with jars, packs, bottles, and containers. Jamie knows better than anyone how to cook up a storm with just five ingredients. And you really don't need to have his genes for that.

Game

Normally, we had to wait for our fillet of deer until the game season opened. That is about to change; game can be enjoyed all year round. And I like that because there is no purer and tastier piece of meat than game. And it's also a source of protein, so good for the muscles.

Insects

Worldwide, over two billion people are already snacking on protein-rich critters. We still have very little of that. But well, when the first black rolls (sushi, yes) appeared on our plates, we also turned up our noses en masse. Are crispy fried cockroaches the new crispy bacon?

Seaweed

Seaweed stays. The sea vegetables are super healthy, tasty, and still hipper than hip. A little pasta made from seaweed with seafood and sun-dried tomatoes, for example? I say yes.

Protein-rich bread

Spelt, buckwheat, and other gluten-free products make way for a new revolution. We continue to reach for alternatives to regular wheat products, but look for something with higher protein content. Chickpea flour or black bean flour turns your carbohydrate explosion into a protein bomb.

Craft beer is the new wine

In more and more restaurants and pubs, a beer menu is standardly placed in front of you. And just like with wine, there is something for everyone when it comes to craft beer: weizen, IPA, stout, amber... ‘Just give me a beer’ is so 2010.

The South American cuisine

Where we normally dove into the kitchen with Asian ingredients, we are now going on a South American tour. I LOVE IT. From Peruvian ceviche to Argentine empanadas; we no longer have to step on a plane for that. Just from our own jars and pans straight to the table.

Let’s taco bout it

Just a little more about that South American cuisine: 2018 will be the year of the taco. And not just that crispy shell you are used to. The snack is getting a new look. Think of seaweed tacos, a plant-based variant, or the grain-free tortilla.