2020 is already a challenging year and along with it brings many uncertainties for the future. However, we’re looking at the one thing that will always cheer us up, food! What are the trends coming in and to be expected in the culinary sphere? Read ahead and find out.
Home Cooking
Your kitchen should be your sanctuary, your escape and your domain. People are beginning to cook more at home due to the circumstances surrounding us, and we think it’s great! When you’re cooking for you and your family, you have all the power to choose your favourite flavours and mixtures.
Another at-home trend is making your own biltong, it’s not so tough and with our Megalicious Smokey Biltong Spice, it’s even easier!
Healthy Eating
A focus on our bodies and weight loss has been apparent for a while, but what about eating healthy to feel good instead of just to look good? There are many ways to begin healthy eating and one of them is trend #1, home cooking.
Contrary to popular belief, eating healthy doesn’t mean becoming vegetarian or only eating small meals but rather it means maintaining a balanced diet with all the nutrients that your body needs. As South Africans we usually have protein sorted with a regular braai, boerie roll and ribbetjies. Cutting down on your carbohydrates is made easy with a simple salad dressed in Quinn’s Creamy Herb, Greek or 1000 Island Salad Dressings.
Creativity
Recently we’ve all been faced with a rumbling stomach and not wanting to face the shops, so now is the time to get creative and use what you have! Raid the pantry and the fridge and figure out what you can make. If it’s a bit of a flop, just add some of your favourite sauce and chalk it up to experience!
Have you ever tried to cook Mexican, Indian or Asian? Well now is the time, look up some recipes and give it a go. Not only is it fun and exciting, but it could also bring new ideas to use with your tried and tested recipes.
Grazing Tables
Styling grazing boards have been a huge trend in 2020, with anything from mezze starters to cheese boards, to dessert pavlova boards. Now, with no entertaining being done, we have seen a decline of these massive boards, yet we still see families posting pictures of grazing boards set for a family. Smaller grazing boards for just the family are great for vegetables, deconstructed burgers, cheeses and other finger foods.
Going Local
While we always tend towards local since South Africa has such a rich cuisine, there’s a trend of going local and seasonal. Buying local produce that is currently in season and basing your dishes on what’s available is a great way to keep mixing it up. We have incredible local produce and always love to support someone local rather than turning to imports – so grab those fresh fruits and veggies and find recipes using them! With Winter here, this is the perfect time to start testing out stews and curries, remember to mix it up with some fun spices.
Meat Substitutes
Globally, people are moving towards meat substitutes as a way to be more environmentally friendly. Products such as the Beyond Meat range are making a big splash and there are many other brands following closely behind. This could be a major change in the world as more and more people try to reduce their own carbon footprints. These new products have the same texture and juiciness as a regular burger and we know that the right mix of sauces are exactly what’s needed to make them taste just right too.
This may seem a little overwhelming but it’s just some inspiration for the rest of your year, and we’ve got some recipes for you to start with. So what are you waiting for? Go and embrace these trends and share your successes with us on our social media platforms!
