Food Trends That Are About To Take Over 2020

Let's talk 2020 food trends, and find out what new foods the experts think we're going to be seeing in our social media feeds once the new year arrives and what current food trends are going to get even bigger.

Seaweed has been a dietary staple for a long, long time, but according to analysts at NPD Group, 2020 is going to be the year when seaweed becomes more than just a staple for certain parts of the world. They say not only is it one of the fastest-growing trends in restaurants, but you're going to be seeing more and more seaweed-based snack foods, like chips, claiming valuable shelf space in grocery stores across the country. 

So first thing's first: Why?

Well, it's good for you. Healthline says it's been linked with supporting thyroid function and gut health, as well as being a good source of vitamins and antioxidants. Mara Seaweed says it's also completely sustainable, grows without using resources needed by other crops, grows very fast, and removes CO2 from the atmosphere. 

It's no wonder that Prepared Foods is calling seaweed 2020's hot ingredient.

It's no secret that plant-based meat alternatives have been big, and it's likely they'll continue to rise in popularity. Jackfruit is among those, and if you haven't heard of it or tried it yet, it's pretty cool. 

A single jackfruit can weigh up to 100 pounds, although 10 to 25 pounds is more average. It's traditionally found in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and you can use the fruit, leaves, and seeds. It's incredibly versatile. 

You can eat jackfruit raw, dry it, fry it, turn it into jam, or, when it's prepared the right way, it's a strangely accurate substitute for pulled pork. It's also pretty good when it comes to substituting for something like mutton, and in Bengali households where it's been used as a staple for generations it's even known as "tree goat." 

It gets better: jackfruit is low-calorie, low-carb, high in protein, fiber, and vitamins. It's also a hardy crop that requires little irrigation. 

Just think of all those super-creative jackfruit tacos, sliders, and bowls just waiting to be made, photographed, and put on Instagram!

Go to any coffee shop worth its salt and you'll find at least a few non-dairy milk options. Soy milk and almond milk are pretty popular, but according to Bloomberg, oat milk is poised to be the next big thing in non-dairy milk for 2020. 

The people making those predictions are basing a large part of that on Oatly, a massive Swedish company who have recently invested $15 million in opening an oat processing plant in New Jersey. Between 2017 and 2019, oat milk sales have jumped from $4.4 million to $29 million. Given those numbers, it's no wonder Oatly decided to hop on this bandwagon and even kick-start a program encouraging Midwestern farmers to grow oats as well as the more typical corn and soy crops. 

They're not the only game in town and other beverage manufacturers are gearing up to release their oat milk offerings, which experts say is just another way plant-based foods are moving into the more mainstream market.

Keep watching the video to find out more about the food trends that are about to take over 2020.

#FoodTrends #2020Trends

Seaweed | 0:11
Jackfruit | 0:51
Oat milk | 1:40
Sparkling water | 2:26
Meat-free meat | 3:20
Entirely plant-based diets | 4:34
Reusable straws | 5:43
Alternative flour | 6:49
Butters and spreads | 7:39
Canned booze | 8:16