Nine food trends for 2023 – Convenience is king

There will be some noticeable food trends occurring in 2023, including viral recipes, restaurant dishes and meals that will have many people craving for more. 

Some of these food trends are making a comeback and others are on the list you may have never heard of. 

If your goal for this year is to visit, try, and cook as many foods in the culinary space, this list will assist in the types of foods and ingredients you should fill in your pantry. 

9 Food trends for 2023

The Speciality Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel created and predicted trends for the culinary world by speaking to restaurant owners, food and sustainability consultants, chefs to academics, representatives of industry bodies and food stylists.

1. Convenience Is King: More consumers will be cooking at home, a necessity brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, however, people are becoming tired of doing so. Melanie Bartelme says people will want restaurant quality food and will look at brands that have shortcuts in cooking these meals. These include meal kits, ready to cook and eat kits, as seen in brands such as UCook and FitFood4u. 
2. Environmentally Friendly Foods: People are more considerate of the planet. It is why they are reading labels and like supporting companies that are environmentally friendly and focus on sustainability. This also means that plant-based foods’ popularity will continue to rise. Expect, biodynamic food systems, indigenous farming practices, soil fertility, and seed diversity, Jonathan Deutsch says. 
3. Alternative to seafood: Similar to above, consumers are looking to alternatives to eating seafood. The movement has been more focused on meat, however, seafood alternatives to rethink seaweed and alga to preserve biodiversity. 
4. Health In Balance: This is a balancing act between food good for you and not depriving yourself of indulgent treats. “Better for you” snacks such as dehydrated vegetables or mushroom chips will be more accessible and chosen as the preferred snack. 
5. Pantry Without Borders: Pantry ingredients in regions as far as Mexico, Spain and West Africa can be difficult to find, howeve,r more and more foodies and cooks are wanting to explore in the kitchen. This entails ingredients, cuisines that include complex flavours, speciality chillies, fruit, nuts to condiments only found in a certain region. 
6. Nuanced heat: People will pursue new paths in the kitchen. “What began in the hot sauce category is exploding into honey, spreads, confections, beverages, and snacks, snagging new markets like younger consumers, especially, and inspiring speciality food companies to introduce heat and spice into existing product lines,” says Mikel Cirkus. Flavours are predicted to be more nuanced, mixed with interesting combinations. 
7. Naturally Occurring Sweeteners: Instead of getting your sugar fix from processed food, natural sugar such as pure honey, coconut sugar, dates and pure maple syrup will be incorporated more in recipes. Such as energy balls using dates and granola bars including desserts. 
8. Global fruits:  With the cost of living continuing to rise, escapism will come not only from travel but the sensory experience that comes from food. Colourful stone fruits that come in unbelievable shapes and sizes will serve as a sense of being at a tropical destination. 
9. Packaging For New Forms And Functions: Packaging that communicates sustainability will gain trust among consumers. 

More food trends

Other food trends in 2023 include more food from Africa, the ever-popular cocktail menus with seltzers and a cleaner and wider range of plant-based products.

READ NOW: Eight restaurants to visit in 2023

Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele