5 2022 Summer Food Trends

585 total views, 1 views today

It’s the height of summer 2022, the first “normal” one since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with backyard barbecues and summer picnics back again, the year’s food trends are beginning to become clear. From a higher focus on health and sustainability to the impact of remote work on how people eat, we’ll explore all this summer’s biggest food trends below!

Charcuterie boards

With people getting back together again for summer 2022 and fear about COVID-19 infection waning, one classic summer food making a comeback is the charcuterie board. These platters with crackers, cheese, bread, fruit, meat, and other snack foods are the perfect food for any type of get-together. To class up your basic charcuterie board and really wow your guests, try adding creative items such as prosciutto, honeycomb, roasted grapes, pomegranate, or cashews.

Focus on breakfast

Remote work became a far more viable option due to the rise of Zoom and other technologies during the pandemic, and recent projections indicate that it won’t be going away any time soon. With over 4.7 million people now working from home and having a much more flexible schedule, there’s one type of food that is inevitably becoming more important: breakfast!

When going into an office each day, it can be hard to plan out your mornings, and you might find yourself grabbing fast food on the way to work or rushing out the door without eating a solid breakfast, but thanks to remote work, this is changing. This new cultural shift is allowing many people to put more attention into their breakfast to make sure they prime their day for energy and productivity.

Sustainable foods

One of the biggest food trends of this summer and the future is sustainable and climate-conscious foods. The sustainability movement has affected everything from clothing to cars, and food is one of the most impacted areas. Many people this year are moving towards a plant-based diet and non-meat protein alternatives to promote a more sustainable future.

Not ready to give up meat? The sustainable food trend can still be a big part of your summer. Look for grass-fed and responsibly sourced beef and lamb, especially from smaller farms, and try to limit your meat consumption as much as you’re comfortable with.

Healthy dessert alternatives

Many people became more health-conscious while stuck at home over the last two years, and this is reflected in some of the biggest food trends this summer. Healthy (or at least healthier) desserts have been a staple of this year’s summer cuisine, as many people are realizing that adding healthy ingredients to classic desserts not only makes them better for you, it can make them taste great too!

Mocktails

Part of a health shift for many people may have included giving up drinking, because mocktails and other no-alcohol drinks are a huge trend this summer. Whether you drink alcohol or not, there are a variety of popular non-alcoholic drinks worth trying out this summer, many using classic summertime ingredients like watermelon, lemon, and pineapple.