What’s on your plate? The 10 trends that will influence the way we eat

1. LAB-MANUFACTURED MEAT

Imagine a juicy steak cooked over the coals which looks and tastes like beef except this cut has been developed in a lab. The concept has been more than two decades in the making and the race is on to get this cell-based cultured meat to consumers around the globe. How it is done? A sample of cells is taken from a living animal, without harming it, which is then grown in a laboratory and when fully formed is shaped into cuts of meat. The result? Meat production without farming or the slaughter of animals — and the positive effect this will have on the environment. A no-brainer.

2. PLANT-BASED VEGAN 

As more people are discovering the virtues of a plant-based lifestyle, which may mean cutting out animal protein or cutting back on meat and including more plant-based foods, retailers have shifted the way they label food products to use the term plant-based, which is more inclusive and consumer friendly.

3. END OF THE COOKBOOK?

TikTok, the social media platform that is taking the world by storm, allows followers to create, share and discover through short videos. It has become the cooking and recipe hub with more than 1-billion followers. Remember how how cooks across the globe went crazy, and still do, over that easy peasy baked pasta, feta and tomato recipe that first appeared on TikTok?

6. MOOD FOOD

In an increasingly stressful world we’ve come to recognise the value of cannabidiol (CBD), extracted from the cannabis plant, which when added to foods and supplements offers a double benefit. After removing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which causes users to get high, CBD is used in sweets and confectionery, baked goods, oils, supplements and drinks.

7. SEACUTERIE

Move over charcuterie boards, canned fish seacuterie is the flavour of the moment. Once looked down on as inferior — think sardines, mackerel, mussels, anchovies, tuna and salmon — canned fish is the new hero of al fresco eating.

8. NONALCOHOLIC DRINKS

Giving up alcohol doesn’t mean you can’t drink, as Gen Z has shown us, giving rise to a dizzying array of nonalcoholic beverages and mocktails to put a new spin on life. Cheers!

9. SNACK ON SEAWEED

Lunch boxes look very different to days of yore. Chocolate bars have given way to fresh fruit, cold drinks are being replaced with water and now seaweed snacks are filling the gaps. There is a range of seaweed-based snacks to choose from, so goodbye potato crisps and welcome this goodness-laden food from the sea.

10. GO FOR GREEN

Humble greens are the heroes of many a dish. Gone are the days of steak and chips; now it’s roasted cauliflower or cabbage pizza creating a stir on a plate.

Beyond the versatile brinjal, try new flavours such as the celeriac bulb.

It may not be the best looking on the shelf but add a little heat, olive oil and other flavourings, as celebrity chef Yotam Ottolenghi does with his have new-found fav, and you, too, can create a feast. And guess what?

Vegetables come at a fraction of the price of animal protein, thus making an excellent alternative to dwindling food budgets.