New trends in dining and cooking can be difficult to predict, and the food trends in 2022 are no exception. But after 2021, many people have turned to food more than ever as a means of comfort, wellbeing and community. The food trends of 2022 point toward an overall goal of better health for our bodies, our planet and our wallets. From cooking styles to amazing ingredients, you can expect many of these new trends to become a permanent part of the culinary ideas even beyond 2022.
1.) Mental Health Cooking
Food and nutrients are important in maintaining overall mental and cognitive health. After 2021, mental wellbeing has never been more important. When your body is malnourished of certain nutrients, it can have lasting effects. Which is why eating for your body and mind will be coming into a clearer focus as a rising food trend of 2022. There are so many great ingredients and superfoods that can boost your mood, help anxiety, and support your mental health. Look for these items to add to your recipe such as cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, and salmon from our seafood department (which is full of Omega 3’s).
2.) Carb Alternatives
Keto brought back low-carb eating, but it won’t be the only option for the food trends in 2022. With the rise in carb alternative products, especially with cauliflower leading the pack in things like pizza crust and gnocchi, it has never been better to stick with a low-carb diet. We’ve also noticed with Keto dieting on the rise, we’ve sold more vegetables than fruit last year. With versatile ingredients replacing rice and flour-based recipes, everyone can still indulge in their favorite treats!
3.) A Digital Shopping Experience
As an evolving community, we wanted to improve our customer’s shopping experience. As a result, we teamed up with Mercato. Mercato has helped our online grocery sales by allowing people in our community to save time and feel better about grabbing their groceries. We created a digital shopping experience with opportunities to add on items like Grab N Go meals, drinks, and local produce.
4.) Low Waste Foods
With concerns of climate change, we’re even more aware than ever of making eco-conscious decisions. This has affected the food scene, making low- or zero-waste one of the upcoming food trends of 2022. Being low-waste with food means heavily reducing unnecessary packaging (especially plastic) and repurposing food scraps that may have previously ended up in the bin (like broccoli stems, ends of celery, and onion skins). There are many ways we can cut down on waste while cooking, and any step in this direction is a wonderful way to kick off this crucial food trend in 2022.