Five trends to look out for in food and drink in 2018

For the food and drink industry, November is that time of year we start thinking about the trends of the year ahead. What is going to be the next foodie fad or tech innovation?

Just last week, Waitrose launched its Food & Drink Report, and here is our take on what we expect to see in 2018.

Keep the carbs coming
Throughout 2017, the nation began shying away from the ‘clean eating’ fad to embrace all the delicious foods the world has to offer. And let’s be honest, courgetti will never replace the real thing.

It is our view that this will continue in 2018, as people become more health-conscious and educated about the effects that a limited diet can cause. Pasta for breakfast, lunch and dinner anyone?

Another day, another diet
On the flipside, as much as it’s important to appreciate that our love for carbs is reigniting, people aren’t going to want to go too OTT for the fear of, well, putting on the pounds.

To be able to have your cake and eat it too, we predict that more Britons are going to be adopting flexitarian diets. A good middle ground to still be able to eat the foods you enjoy. We’re thinking plant proteins and dairy alternatives could be the go-to on vegan Mondays.

Ready, steady, cook
It is no secret that as a country, we’re busier than ever which means we have less time to cook. Supermarket ready meals have become a staple purchase in my supermarket shopping trips.

Fret no more, because we’re now seeing a number of solutions to help bring back home cooking, such as subscription box services like Hello Fresh. In 2018, we expect to see more options which offer busy Britons convenient and quick ways to cook and eat meals at home.

Dare to be different
Bog-standard staple meals seem to be a thing of the past, as newer recipes usually have an added twist. We’re also seeing a rise in western takes on international cuisine that we didn’t even know existed years ago, such as Indian street food.

Turmeric has snuck its way into our lattes and porridge and we’re excited to see what new flavour sensations 2018 will bring to us. Maybe we’ll see turnip cheesecake or parsley protein balls!

Don’t care how, I want it now
As a nation, it’s no secret that we’re both polite and impatient. As much as we hate to wait, queuing is a formality that we’d never dream of messing with. Online grocery shopping eliminates the need to queue, but our impatient tendencies shudder at the thought of having to wait for our groceries to be delivered.

Some retailers, such as Amazon Now, are already catering to our need-it-now nature by promising almost instant deliveries, but we expect more options to pop up in 2018. They better get a move on though, we don’t want to wait too long!