2018 Food Trends I’m Loving

Well, it’s the time of year when I share with you my annual food trends I’m loving post.  So I’m finding myself in a bit of a pickle. Because so far, I’m not seeing any new food trends for 2018. As far as I can tell, 2018 is looking like it’ll be a year where past trends are continuing. Which does make me happy. Because the 5 trends that I love are super healthy. So, I’m happy to see that they are enduring – they’re not flashes in the pan. So, what trends am I happy to see enduring?

1. Healthy Fats. I’m so happy to see that folks are continuing to recognize the important role of healthy fats. If you’re my age or old, you will remember the days of low fat = healthy. And low fat = weight loss. It’s still a misperception that I help people overcome when they’re in my 40 Days to a Happy Healthy You weight loss program. Healthy fats help us feel satisfied when eating a meal, they help us absorb important vitamins such as vitamin D, vitamin K and vitamin E. And, they are anti-inflammatory. The healthiest fats come from eating whole foods – avocados, nuts and seeds, and fish. Cold-pressed avocado oil and olive oil are good choices. As is an omega-3 supplement – either from fish or algae.

2. Meatless Meals. As is expressed so eloquently: eat more plants. Whether exploring some meatless meals (e.g. meatless Monday) or going all the way to vegan, I’m excited to see people eating more plants. It’s both healthy for us and for the planet to choose to base your diet on foods lower along the food chain. By the way, if you, or your child, is considering going vegan, there is considerable nutrition knowledge that you need to have to make sure that you’re meeting all your nutrition needs. I highly recommend the book Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davies and Vestanto Melina, to give you the information that you need. Look for the 2013/2014 editions, available in most book stores & online.

3. Making Real Food Easier. Gone are the days where making a quick meal took a lot of time. Let’s face it, life is busy. Super busy. And, it’s almost impossible to eat healthfully if you constantly eat out at restaurants and use take-out. So, I’m overjoyed to see all the creative ways that are being generated to make healthy food, fast food. The produce section of our grocery stores has an increasing variety of pre-cut veggies and fruit. Salad mixes, broccoli florets, pineapple chinks, even sliced mushrooms. They’ve taken the prep-time out of making dinner. The frozen veggies section is also improving. For example, now you can get pre-cut cubes of butternut squash and leafy greens. Now that’s the kind of “processed food” that I fully support. Your ingredient delivery options are astonishing! You can order groceries online for delivery. Subscription meal kits are a booming business. Local farmers offer CSA’s (community supported agriculture) where you subscribe for the season/year and you get a box of fresh, local veggies each week. All of these contribute to making eating real food easier to achieve.

4. Love of Local. I’ve been a fan of eating local since before it was trendy. I continue to see the love of local food just growing stronger and stronger. Farmers’ markets are busy. More and more farm-gate stands are being built. Urban farms/ community gardens/ backyard food gardens are super strong. Butchers, focusing on local meats are opening up. And, CSA’s sell out and have waiting lists, guaranteeing a market for local farmers . Why do I love local food? Because the more we celebrate local food, the more we’re celebrating real, minimally-processed food.

5. Eating for a Healthy Gut. The scientific evidence continues to grow for all the ways that our gut microflora contribute to our health. Having a happy mix of bacteria and other micro-guys in your gastro-intestinal system is being investigated in association with food allergy, Autism, obesity, IBS, depression/ mental health, and a lot more. From a nutrition point-of-view, this means taking probiotics, pre-biotics, the continuing explosion of fermented foods on the market, and eating in a way that supports a healthy gut microbiome. This means, eating foods high in fibre and minimally processed - lots of veggies, fruit, beans/lentils, and eating a wide variety of foods. All things that I fully support.

Oh yes, I can't forget turmeric. Turmeric, this potent anti-inflammatory, will continue to be everywhere. 

Looking for meatless recipes, gut-healthy recipes, recipes with local foods? Check out my recipe page.  

Photo by Mariana Medvedeva on Unsplash

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