If you want to understand what the biggest food trend will be next year, ignore the fridge snacks and hot honey espresso martinis. Instead, look at the psychology of the nation.
When Americans became scared and isolated during the pandemic, they happily ate comfort food. This year, tired and worried after a period of inflation and political uncertainty, they craved edible escapes they could afford. Little luxuries like the crunchy chocolate bar with Dubai pistachio cream and the large pieces of caviar.
With a president elected intent on turning institutions upside down, rampant hyper-individualism, and an adventurous and skeptical Gen Z exerting outsized influence, 2025 will be about breaking rules and ignoring tradition. At least, that’s what market researchers, food sociologists and other prognosticators say.
“It’s a time to take risks“ said Andrew Freeman, president of AF & Co., a San Francisco consulting firm that has published the popular Hospitality Trends Report with brand marketing firm Carbonate for 17 years.
“Think about what we just went through. The whole world has changed. And if the whole world is going to break the rules, why not do so with what we eat and drink?“
Rebellious consumers are pushing boundaries with unconventional choices, said Melanie Bartelme, global food analyst and trend watcher at Mintel. They eat snacks when they should be eating meals. Healthy food made from scratch is in, but so is a night at Chili’s.
Continues after advertising
Here are some of the predictions most likely to influence the way we eat next year. And if the meteorologists are wrong, who cares? In 2025, anything goes.
A year of sauces
From viral vinaigrette to spicy mix of mayonnaise and ketchup to taller versions of romesco, salsa macha, tzatziki, hoisin, harissa and garlicky toum, sauces will be a national obsession.
Ranch will continue its reign, with new flavor extensions like pickles or chimichurri. But keep an eye out for more subtle, culturally specific sauces as customers continue “on their global flavor journey,” said Emily Murphy, director of specialty merchandising at specialty foods company Baldor.
Continues after advertising
Coffee’s next act
Forget the pumpkin spice mocha caramel latte with two pumps of extra syrup. Savory coffee drinks are the next wave. Chefs are infusing coffee with sunchoke and avocado puree and flavoring drinks with ginger smoke, lemongrass and rosemary.
Yemini coffees, which started in Detroit in the United States, are spreading to other cities as alternatives, such as coffee with hawaij, a spice blend heavy with cardamom, ginger and cinnamon.
Cuisine to go
Japanese convenience stores, popularly known as konbini, are open 24 hours a day and are revered for well-prepared foods like onigiri, ramen and egg salad sandwiches on sour bread. 7-Eleven’s Japanese parent company will soon begin exporting its konbini-style food to some U.S. stores.
Continues after advertising
That’s not the only zhuzh that comes in convenience store food. Gas stations are preparing made-to-order meals, selling their own brand of frozen foods, stocking salads with local produce, and creating coffee shops with as many opportunities for customization as Starbucks.
East Coast chain Wawa is bringing its beloved sandwiches to the South, and Texas-born Buc-ee’s is bringing its chicken to more states. We’re still a long way from roadside food as good as you’d find at an Italian Autogrill, but we’re getting closer.
A hospitality trend
The hottest trend in hospitality will be… hospitality.
Continues after advertising
Curling up in a warm, serviceable blanket is an antidote to feelings of disconnection and loneliness, which Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has identified as a growing public health epidemic. He suggests eating together more frequently as a way to combat this problem.
Hotels and restaurants are using artificial intelligence and data analysis to make service more personal. Look for cozy counter service, comforting food served in comfortable dining rooms, and shorter menus that mix value and benefit.
Restaurants that connect to the community and offer work-life balance for employees will be more important than ever.
Stronger products
It may have started with the cotton candy-flavored grape, but new designer fruits and vegetables will start to appear more regularly. Some of the new offerings emphasize nutritional benefits and highlight the quality of the soil in which they are grown. Others are pure flavor games.
“We’ve seen incredible interest in seed development and the search for flavor and sustainable growth,” said Jon Hansburg, director of food service sales at Baldor.
Social media will also play a role, accelerating demand for new or lesser-known fruits and vegetables.
Another dose of protein
Protein will continue its rise to the top of the popularity pyramid, driven in part by “gym bros” and people taking weight loss medications (like Ozempic) who need extra protein to maintain muscle mass.
Food manufacturers have begun highlighting protein content on packaging for cereals, chips and other products. Protein-rich Turkish breakfasts, peanut butter smoothies and meat snacks are trending.
Alcohol-free shine
Beverages spiked with cannabis and other mood-altering compounds like kava, guarana and a calming amino acid known as GABA will explode as interest in alcohol wanes, especially among Gen Z.
Non-alcoholic drinks have already migrated from the wellness aisle to bars and restaurantswhere some are adapted to match specific dishes.
“Younger generations view cannabis as having fewer negative side effects than alcohol,” said Candace MacDonald, co-founder and managing director of marketing firm Carbonate. “We’re just starting to see a shift in how this affects their consumption.”
Tribe diets
The Hot Girls Have IBS campaign was just the beginning of a movement aimed at normalizing and addressing specific health issues.
Milky is a pill marketed for young people with lactose intolerance. Meal kits are being designed to alleviate menopause symptoms. Food allergies are becoming a point of connection rather than ostracism.
Packaging as art
As the world of delivery and delivery continues to expand, so do the containers it comes in. Restaurants will up their game with thoughtful, Instagrammable packaging that lends itself to unboxing videos and can serve as a fun focal point for at-home entertaining. “Packaging is part of the eating experience that goes unnoticed,” said AF & Co.’s Freeman.
Originally published no The New York Times.
