While the 2017 food trend lists vary somewhat, two days of walking the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco supported much of what Eating Well, Health.com, Bon Appetit, Today.com, Self, etc. have predicted.
Alternate flours and snacks continue to gain momentum as avoiding gluten remains a popular pursuit. Zócolo Peru Organic Grain flours: Kañiwa, Mesquite, Purple Sweet Potato and Purple Corn are all gluten free and non GMO.
Recently identified by Instacart as one of the Top 5 Trending Brands to fill your cart this year, Simple Mills makes baking mixes and crackers that are free of gluten, soy, and gum. They are also non-GMO and paleo friendly. Comprised of simple ingredients like almond flour, coconut flour, cassava, tapioca and flax, they appeal to the estimated 3 million Americans choosing to avoid gluten with a desire to make quick home-cooked meals and baked goods.
Ancient grains you haven’t heard of yet:
Chefs across the country have been serving up quinoa, farro, freekah, and bulgur, but word on the street is that sorghum is the new ancient grain in town. Like quinoa, sorghum is gaining in popularity thanks to its gluten-free and non-GMO status. Sorghum can be used like any other whole grain and has already made its way into various cereals, bars and snack products. Ancient grains appeal to a wide range of consumers concerned with health as they are naturally gluten-free and easier on the digestive system than refined grains.
Wellness Tonics: Healthy beverages including almond and coconut milk, fresh-pressed juices and kefir remain popular, but a new wave of wellness tonics such as Kombucha, drinking vinegars and tinctures drawing on beneficial probiotics and botanicals rooted in alternative medicine and global traditions were everywhere. Sip them on their own or add to a cocktail and reap the benefits. We loved the fruit-based vinegars from Olitalia, especially the blueberry balsamic vinegar.
The Revive Kombucha booth was swarming with attendees sipping from their broad range of culture-driven, craft Kombucha drinks which are organic, vegan, raw, packed with probiotics and carrying cool names like The OG, Free Ride, Up Beat, Campfire, Solar, Ascend, Wild Ginger, Tropic Wonder and Spring Fling. Kombucha is one of the fastest growing segments in the functional beverage category, but what is it? Kombucha is tea fermented with live bacteria and yeast that creates a beverage with a fizzy, slightly vinegary taste.
Califia Farms continues to reign with their artisanal, premium, natural beverages, including its ‘fourth wave’ coffee innovations and their new Almondmilk creamers. Their great taste, unique flavors, clean labeling and iconic, award-winning curvy carafes have made them nut milk and cold brew coffee leaders who have struck a chord with today’s health-conscious consumer and helped consumers adopt a plant-based diet that doesn’t compromise on taste. The company was named “Brand of the Year” by BevNet in 2015, while CEO and beverage visionary, Greg Steltenpohl, received a Specialty Foods Leadership Award for his social, economic and environmental impact through innovation. An industry veteran, Steltenpohl was named a Top 50 Disruptor by Beverage World for giving the almond milk category a “jolt of innovation” and, in December, he was named 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year.
Coconut Everything – We’re not just talking coconut oil and coconut water, be ready for coconut flour tortillas, coconut sugar aminos and more unexpected coconut-based products. Virtually every component of this versatile fruit-nut-seed (coconuts qualify for all three!) is being used in new ways – the sap is turned into coconut sugar as an alternative to refined sweeteners; the oil is used in a growing list of natural beauty products; and the white flesh of the coconut is now in flours, tortillas, chips, ice creams, butters and more.
Family Food Company brings to market Nature’s Charm Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk – the first commercially-produced product of its kind. It offers a new option for vegan and lactose intolerant consumers to enjoy the dishes they have to skip because of the milk in them. Think of the possibilities such as Coconut Sponge cake, Hot Coconut Latte, Banana Bread, ChoConut Smoothie, Vegan Vanilla Cake, and even great for dipping and as a topping. You can even use it to create a Vegan Whip Cream. There are so many uses that can apply to all your Smoothies/ drinks and baking applications. {Source: Speciality Food Association}
Seaweed and Sea Vegetables:
Along with quinoa, it appears that 2017 will see the kale craze surrendering to a new green crush: seaweed. Not only is seaweed incredibly low in calories, it’s also rich in nutrients that it absorbs from the sea, including calcium and iron. You have probably eaten seaweed salad and, while you can still expect to see seaweed in salad form, get ready for bacon-flavored algae, seaweed chips and popcorn, and seaweed spaghetti. After reading several predictions about seaweed’s comeuppance, I wrote about what food will replace kale as the next superfood, also known as wakame, arame, kelp, hijiki, seaweed is a staple ingredient in Japanese cooking and is prized for its salty, umami character in the culinary world. Dried kombu, nori, furikake, kelp noodles and other incarnations of seaweed are available in the international aisles of markets and online.
The rise of seaweed and other unusual greens (think kelp) ties into the popularity of Japanese-inspired foods beyond sushi rolls. Traditional Japanese condiments like ponzu, miso, mirin, sesame oil, plum vinegar and yuzu are making their way from restaurant menus to the pantries of America’s home cooks. Shown above, Ohsawa Smoked Shoyu and sauces, Gold Mine Kelp Noodles, and sprinkling Furikake spices.
Wellness Teas and Matcha:
Matcha Green tea’s popularity seems here to stay and, also fitting into the category of healthy beverages and wellness tonics mentioned above, are teas infused with botanicals and roots prized for their health benefits.
The benefits of green tea are well-known: metabolism booster, antioxidants–not to mention the caffeine boost. But matcha–green tea ground up into a fine powder–is dissolved, rather than steeped, in water. This method delivers higher levels of antioxidants and the amino acid L-Theanine, which research has shown enhances clarity and concentration. Shade-grown and stone-ground, The Republic of Tea‘s U Matcha collection is available in four sweet and savory flavors: Natural, citrusy Yuzu, Chai and Charcoal. Add the powder to lattes, smoothies and even baked goods for added umami. {Source: Specialty Foods Association}
Stash Tea‘s wellness teas include a collection of caffeine-free herbal teas formulated to bring comfort and relief, including the Sunny Dandelion Root pictured above. The Yerba maté (pronounced yer-bah mah-tay) which literally translates to “herb cup”, is a highly caffeinated herbal drink that is both refreshing and stimulating. . Consumed from morning to evening, yerba maté is the beverage of choice for millions of South Americans as a healthful alternative to coffee, it has a unique spicy-sweet flavor that is strongly vegetal, herbal, and grassy.
Finally, I have to include these cute organic pressed teas that dissolve in your cup from Tea Drops.
Founded in 2014, Tea Drops is an award winning, woman & minority owned tea business. “Our goal is simple: to foster community and connection through tea. Made with organic tea, spices, and a touch of sweetness – our teas are organic, sustainable, and delicious! Tea Drops are organic pressed teas that dissolve in your cup. Comprised of USDA organic tea, spices, and lightly sweetened with raw sugar, Tea Drops can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere, just by adding hot water.” Popular flavors include Vanilla White Tea, Match, Turmeric, Rose Earl Grey, Citrus Ginger and Sweet Peppermint.
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