As 2013 comes to a close, many of us have already begun the process of naming our resolutions for the New Year. While most of them have to do with eating less and exercising more, there are other ways to look at food in 2014. In fact, for all of us foodies, it can be a whole new way to explore the culinary world. Want to know what to look for when hitting up grocery stores and/or restaurants? Check out our five fun food trends for 2014.
Tableside Service
Who doesn’t love sitting at a Hibachi table? Between the fun hats and the daring tableside chefs, it turns eating out into an event. Tableside serving in 2014 will become even more daring and, as Entrepreneur.com points out; some restaurants have already begun exploring this new trend in a majorly unique way.
Sweet Veggies
Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Dietitian and Huffington Post contributor Dawn Jackson Blatner attended the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo and found that, although it may sound odd, this is, indeed, going to be a healthy food trend in 2014. Companies are going to try and sneak veggies into our diet, such as Green Plate Foods’ Zucchini chocolate-chip cookies, which reportedly taste and look identical to the ones your mom makes. Garden Lites now has a line of veggie muffins, which have half the sugar and calories and five times the fiber as traditional muffins. Finally – a muffin that won’t give us a muffin top!
Munchie Mashups
These are food items that combine two (or more!) tasty items to create a unique culinary creation. People love their portmanteau, especially when naming their fave celeb couples (remember “Bennifer”?), so it’s not a big surprise this trend has crossed over into the food world. Think treats like the now infamous “cronut” (donut and a croissant) or a “duffin” (donut and a muffin).
Restaurants in Retail Stores
If you’re like us, you’ve been scratching your heads at the non-food items that keep popping up in grocery stores. In 2014, just the opposite will supposedly become a “thing.” According to the Baum & Whiteman report (via Fox News), the trend in the New Year will be brand-themed restaurants inside retail stores.
Food Halls
Food courts had their time and place in our teen years, as they were a great place to meet up with friends for a soda and a slice of pizza. But what about when we hit adulthood and our preferences lean towards the more sophisticated? 2014 will apparently cater to this, as there will be a new trend called food halls. Word is they will carry artisanal food from local, high-end restaurants and, although they will be more expensive than traditional food courts, many will appreciate the finer fare.
