The biggest food trends of 2017 were distinctly whimsical; with edible glitter sprinkled over everything and all manners of cuisine – from toast to spaghetti to cupcakes – bedecked in ‘unicorn’ colours.
But if you feel like you can’t bear to see another plate of sparkly food, fear not – the biggest dining trends of 2018 are set to be rather more sensible.
Online electrical retailer AO.com has teamed up with Pinterest who provided data on the most saved pins of 2017, and AO’s lifestyle hub has used the information to predict the top food trends for 2018.
Now they’ve revealed the year’s most hotly anticipated food trends include coffee with an added health boost, Moroccan cuisine and air frying.
Read on to find out what else will be replacing your unicorn latte and rainbow bagels in 2018.
Online electrical retailer AO.com has teamed up with Pinterest who provided data on the most saved pins of 2017, including coffee with added health benefits such as pottasium-rich beetroot powder (stock image)
COFFEE WITH A HEALTH BOOST
It’s not enough to swap to skimmed milk in your latte anymore in a bid to make it a better choice.
According to Pinterest, healthier coffee options have seen a 218 per cent increase in saves.
Options include using alternatives to cows’ milk or adding health-boosting spices such as cinnamon, or adding a beetroot powder to your latte, which is packed full of pottasium for maintaining healthy blood pressure.
SNAP PEAS
Often referred to as sugar snap peas, they can be eaten raw as well as cooked, and have an addictively crunchy texture and a really sweet flavour.
They’re a good source of fibre and vitamin C and are great in pretty much everything and work equally well tossed in salads and stir fries or served as a side dish with a garnish with mint.
If you are going to eat them raw, just remember to peel out the stringy bit from the middle of the pod so you don’t end up needing dental floss.
Sugar snap peas are set to be a healthy snack food and a popular addition to stir fries and salads in 2018 (stock image)
MOROCCAN CUISINE
Moroccan food has seen a huge increase in pins, up a massive 2,579 per cent at the end of 2017.
Bursting with flavour and colour, it involves a host of spices with health benefits, such as digestive aid cumin, disease-fighting saffron, antioxidant cinnamon and inflammation-busting ginger.
What’s even more crucial is that Moroccan food is traditionally slow cooked, which means you get maximum flavour without destroying important nutrients.
Slow-cooked Moroccan food contains a range of health-boosting spices such as saffron, cinnamon and ginger (stock image)
PLANT PROTEIN
With a huge surge of interest in adopting a vegan lifestyle, it’s no wonder plant protein is having a moment.
Pinterest has reported a 417 per cent increase in saves of plant protein pins, such as whole grains, beans and legumes as well as plenty of nuts and seeds.
Some vegetables, such as kale, can also be a good source of protein too.
With veganism on the rise, people are looking for plant sources of protein including pulses such as butter beans (stock image)
AIR FRYERS
This great gadget means you can enjoy crispy favourites such as roast potatoes and chips without any of the guilt.
The device uses really fast-moving hot air and little to no oil and is suitable for cooking more than just potatoes. It’s also a whizz at perfecting sausages, chicken, vegetables, fish and even cake.
If you want to cook your favourites with minimal oil, then an air fryer is the kitchen gadget you need to invest in for the year ahead
CLEAN COCKTAILS
There’s been a 160 increase in searches for cocktails that attempt to inject some semblance of health into your glass such as a mojito made with a natural sugar alternative such as coconut sugar.
Coconut water in your cocktails, can also counteract the dehydrating properties of alcohol while the addition of fresh fruits and herbs can add an antioxidant boost.
Cocktails containing alcohol will never be 100 per cent saintly, but adding coconut water can counteract dehydration, while fresh fruit and herbs ups the antioxidant count
SOUP
It’s hardly a new item on the menu, but with a 306 per cent increase in saves, it looks as if many of us are turning to Pinterest for some fresh ideas.
And with batch cooking and meal prepping being promoted by countless food bloggers, it may well account for an upturn in interest in the humble dish.
It’s not exactly the new kid on the block, but it’s perfect for the millennial meal prep trend (stock image)
GHEE
Clarified butter, widely used for centuries in Indian cooking is a godsend if you’re lactose or casein intolerant, as these properties are removed during the clarification process.
It’s also a good source of vitamins A, D and E. And, it contains butyrate, an essential short-chain fatty acid that promotes bone health, aids fat burning and digestion and tackles inflammation.
Clarified butter is perfect if you’re lactose intolerant and is a good source of vitamins A, D and E (stock image)
KOREAN CONDIMENTS
Korean food has soared in popularity, and with a 222 per cent increase in saves on Pinterest.
It’s all about simplicity, while retaining bold and punchy flavours are anything but and if you have the right condiments to hand you’ll never be far off an authentic Korean meal.
Pickling and fermentation play a bit part in Korean cuisine, so look out for things like red pepper or soy bean paste, fermented shrimp or anchovy sauce and, of course, kimchi.
If you want to make authentic Korean cuisine at home, make sure you have the right condiments – such as anchovy paste and kimchi (pictured) in stock (stock image)