This year brought forth some pretty interesting food trends. From hot honey to tinned fish-filled Girl Dinner and chili oil on ice cream to cottage cheese everything, the feast on foodie-approved items never ends. That’s why we’re looking to 2024 food trends, courtesy of Whole Foods’ expert-backed predictions. Some trends in their vision? Buckwheat, faux fish (huh?), and gourmet instant noodles. As selfmade bakers and snack connoisseurs ourselves, we’re detailing the 2024 food trends we’ve already tried to let you know which ones are actually worth the preemptive hype.
Whole Foods has an entire team dedicated to guessing what’ll be hot in the future – their Trends Council convenes annually to put their heads together on the next year’s food trends. According to the company, the resulting predictions are based on consumer preferences and “in-depth workshopping” with brands in the space.
“Our annual food trends predictions list is a way for us to pull back the curtain for customers and share insight into what our buyers and culinary experts are keeping on their radar for the upcoming year,” said Cathy Strange, Ambassador of Food Culture for Whole Foods Market and member of the Trends Council. “From specific product ingredients and flavor trends, to growing movements in the food industry, we can’t wait to see these trends gain momentum in the year ahead.”
Ahead, the upcoming 2024 food trends you're about to see everywhere.
Put the "Plant" Back in "Plant-Based"
The first of Whole Foods’ 2024 food trends predictions says “no more” to fashionably fake meats like Beyond or Impossible patties. They note that the plant-based meat category will continue to grow in the direction of actual plants.
“We’re seeing new and emerging protein-forward products with mushrooms, walnuts, tempeh, and legumes in place of complex meat alternatives,” the trend report relays. “Even plant-based milk alternatives are participating, with some brands simplifying labels to just two ingredients — perfect for the vegetarian purist.”
Though we’re admittedly behind the trend with plant-based meat alternatives, we *have* sipped our way through tons of simply-constructed plant-based milks.
Products like Minor Figures’ Barista Oat Milk, MALK Organic’s Vanilla Almond Milk, Forager Project’s Organic Unsweetened Cashewmilk, and Willa’s Barista Oat Milk make the trend tasty and accessible, too.
Final verdict? Worth it!
Shop Our Fave Plant-Based Milks
- Minor Figures Barista Oat Milk
- MALK Organics Vanilla Almond Milk
- Forager Project Organic Unsweetened Cashewmilk
- Willa’s Barista Oat Milk
Use the Whole Cacao
The craving for food production processes to be sustainable is still very strong. The latest in the no-waste realm, according to Whole Foods, is utilizing the entire cacao plant (and its by-products) to create new uses and flavors.
Though we haven't delved into the retailer's recommendations for this trend, we’re always here for anything that’s better for our planet.
Final verdict? Worth it!
Fancy Faux Fish
Whole Foods owes this 2024 food trend to the emergence of tinned fish and caviar earlier this year.
“Watch out for carrots in place of lox, trumpet mushrooms for scallops, and the root vegetable konjac getting its moment in sushi rolls and poke bowls,” the trend report says. “Whether you’re fully plant-based or looking to eat less seafood, there’s a faux fish waiting for you.”
Although the promise of faux fish can sound fishy, we’ve tried the trend (we’re cool like that) and can certifiably say it’s worth it. Ride the wave with our top pick, Seed to Surf’s Celery Root Smoked Whitefish. It offers such a delightful texture and *just* the appropriate amount of umami for a vegan fish.Final verdict? Worth it!
Shop Faux Fish:
Clean & Conserve: Water Stewardship
Regenerative agriculture will continue to grow in practice in 2024, according to the Whole Foods trend report. Some of our go-to brands like Alec’s Ice Cream and Gotham Greens have been longtime proponents of water conservation, so it’s nice to know that sustainable, earth-friendly practices will reach the mainstream.
Final verdict? Worth it!
Shop Our Water-Conscious Faves:
Noodle News
Instant ramen hacks may be a little less potent once 2024 rolls around. A ton of noodle-forward brands are engineering products that don’t require extra prep, but are still super full on flavor.
We’ve definitely partaken (maybe way too many times) in this trend, courtesy of Omsom. They have numerous Asian-inspired flavors on-hand, but our fave has got to be the Coconut Lemongrass Curry variety. It’s bright, zingy, and totally addictive.Final verdict? Worth it!Shop Instant Noodles:
Little Luxuries
It seems like everyone is on board with having a little treat on a regular basis. Whole Foods delegates yummy drinks and sweet bites alike to the category of ‘Little Luxuries,’ noting that the food trend is distinctively marked these days by smaller servings and approachable prices.
We’ve also noticed that a ton of on-the-shelf offerings have the cutest packaging design ever. We could never say no to a treat! A few of our faves? OLIPOP cans, SmartSweets candy, and DEUX donut holes.
Final verdict? Worth it!
Shop Little Luxuries We Love:
Women's Health: From Taboo to Top of Mind
In addition to movement and mental health maintenance, the zeitgeist is finally acknowledging food as a certified method for supporting female health, from periods and pregnancy to postpartum and menopause. Whole Foods notes that the trend can range from recipes to supplements.
We tried the trend ourselves with the viral Sleepy Girl Mocktail that leverages magnesium, tart cherry juice, and prebiotic sodas like OLIPOP to improve the sleep cycle. Based on the level of shut-eye we got after drinking it regularly, we deem this food trend worth it.
Final verdict? Worth it!
Shop Women's Wellness:
A Better Boost
Caffeinated beverages and drink mixes with additional benefits from mushrooms and probiotics are slated to be big in 2024. When combined with these additives, you can diminish the crazy caffeine rush you’d get from other traditional drinking methods.
This trend is especially great for those with anxiety or caffeine sensitivities like us! We’ve tried it, and report that it’s super worth it. The Matcha SuperLatte from Clevr has proven to be the ultimate pick, but we’d recommend any of their flavors.Final verdict? Worth it!
Shop These Better Boosts:
Buckle Up for Buckwheat
Buckwheat, a true ingredient underdog, has historically been leveraged to make soba noodles. Per Whole Foods, the soil health-friendly pick is on the rise in popular products like Bob’s Red Mill Buckwheat Pancake & Waffle Mix and Lil Bucks Clusterbucks Buckwheat Granola Bites Chocolate Sea Salt.
TBH, we initially thought of buckwheat as bland, or didn’t think of it at all. We really admire the fact that it’s supporting the soil, but can’t have the final say about if it’s worth it or not since we haven’t tried the trend.
Final verdict? Unclear!
Shop Buckwheat:
Complex Heat
Soon, you can begin starring in your very own Hot Ones episodes at home, per Whole Foods’ trend experts. Complex heat is seriously firing up for 2024, with Scorpion, Guajillo, and Hungarian Goathorn Pepper varieties touching everything from candies and cocktails to desserts and grocery picks.
Honestly, we are spice lovers through and through. We’ve taken part in this trend category with buzzy products like Fly by Jing’s Sichuan Gold and the Banza x Tabasco Hotter by the Bite Pizza, but can’t quite confidently recommend it to everyone since each person will have varying tolerance for spice – because with this trend, we’re talking hotter than hot.
Final verdict? Not for everyone!
Shop Complex Heat:
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Lead image via Fly by Jing, Lil Bucks, Amazon, Target
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