Hot Food Trends You Can Make in Your Own Kitchen

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“You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food,” said late celebrity chef, Paul Prudhomme, though he would probably have been surprised to the extent to which gourmet food fever has hit even the average UK home. The rise of celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, who have made it a mission to instil good eating habits at home, means that British home dwellers are more confident than ever when it comes to sourcing ingredients, preparing traditional world cuisine, and trying out creative presentations for everyday and weekend meals. Take your own passion for food beyond the norm by recreating some of the hottest food trends across the globe. Why eat out when you can eat in the comfort of your own home, inviting as many friends and family to gather around your table?

Probiotic Goodness

The global demand for probiotics has increased considerably in the past decade, since these live microorganisms have been found to help with digestive health and immunity. In the past, you couldn’t really enjoy probiotics at a typical restaurant. Today, trendy dining establishments around the world are offering products like Kombucha cocktails, kimchi, or lassis. In Arizona in the U.S., for instance, the restaurant Farm & Craft has built up an entire menu around probiotics. Restaurant owner Ryan Hibbert notes that his restaurant “features four paths to optimal health, including an ‘anti-inflammatory diet,’ ‘increasing probiotic levels,’ ‘maintaining high levels of antioxidants,’ and ‘reducing overall stress.’ This is accomplished by providing local, sustainable, gluten-free, organic and hormone-free ingredients.” Closer to home, the Ledbury in London takes it a step further, using probiotic techniques to produce compost from kitchen waste, giving diners free 5kg bags for their gardening needs. To feed your own family a bit of probiotic magic, whip up a delicious smoothie with kefir, frozen banana, and blueberries. Kefir contains up to 30 different strains of good bacteria, as compared to yoghurt’s four!

Plant-Based Foods

With studies showing that a vegan or vegetarian diet is the optimal way to go if weight loss is on the mind, the food industry is offering a plethora of plant-based options for diners who wish to enjoy a great meal while staying light on their toes. Have you heard of the Impossible Burger (a vegan option that looks, tastes, and even ‘bleeds’ like real meat?) or of Nestlé’s Garden Gourmet Brand – featuring an array of plant-based products, including vegetarian burgers, meatballs, and ‘chicken-style’ nuggets? If you don’t want to go full vegetarian, why not try out Meatless Mondays? Or Sundays? Whip up your usual spaghetti and meatballs, using veggie meatballs (homemade or store-bought) instead!

Ancient Grains

If you haven’t used grains like einkorn, amaranth, millet, teff, or spelt in your cooking before, why not start? Research group Foodscape Group recently predicted that this would be a big trend, owing to customers’ interest in old-style cooking using super nutritional ingredients.  Many modern brands like Arnott’s are using ancient grains and seeds, and spelt bread and baked goods are now ever present at quality supermarkets and bakeries. To enjoy this trend at home, why not make your own spelt bread? Just follow an easy recipe by a trusted chef like Jamie Oliver, and wait for the dough to rise twice before shaping it into buns and popping them into the oven. Bread simply needs spelt flour, water, a tablespoon or two of olive oil, and salt. If you have a breadmaker, then you can also make bread loaves, each of which should last a small family for up to a week.

We have mentioned just a few food trends to watch out for, though there are many more lighting up the fires of Michelin-starred and street kitchens alike. If one common thread runs through the fabric of many trends, it is the passion for healthy foods that are rich in antioxidants and other nutrients that promote good health. You don’t need to be a chef to introduce your own family to healthy, delicious food. Start out with spelt bread, more vegetarian meals, and healthy smoothies and watch your loved ones break out into big smiles.