7 Super Food Trends for 2020

Move over kale, there's a new green in town! On Tuesday, January 14, we hung out with our friend, Brian Kramp, from Fox 6 to talk about some fabulous food trends that we are forecasting for 2020. Are these food items on your radar, too?

Check out the fun we had! Click these links to the videos on Fox 6 Wake Up and Real MKE! 

1. Promoting the Plants

Whether you call it “the sometimes vegetarian” or “flexitarian”, or folks that follow a meatless Monday or weekday vegetarian plan, this trend continues. From health reasons to enjoying exciting new flavors, people are choosing plants first in growing numbers. Expect to see more innovations in products and flavors that go beyond burgers, and even foods packed with hidden veggies like jackfruit, condiments, and snacks.

Look for: Beyond Burger, Impossible Burger, Wow Meatballs, Upton's BBQ Jackfruit, Simple Soyman Burgers, Walnut Burgers

2. Magic Mushrooms

Dried as snacks, brewed as teas or caffeine-free coffee substitutes, and even cocoa beverages, mushrooms are popping up everywhere because of their meaty rich flavors and their potential adaptogenic health benefits. Not only in beverages and elixirs, these fungal wonders are being used as meat replacements and in blended products that are part meat, part veggies, part mushroom. Shiitake bacon anyone? 

Look for: Four Sigmatic Coffee Substitutes, Rishi Chaga Chai, as well as Cordyceps and Astragalas herbal tinctures, plus a plethora of fresh mushroom varieties including button, cremini, portabello, hen of the woods, shiitake, oyster and others

3. Brussels Sprouts Are the New Kale

Move over kale, there’s a new green in town! Look for pre-cut, prepackaged and shredded pre-packaged Brussels sprouts in fresh produce and along with “saute kits” – fresh precut Brussels sprouts bagged together with a sauce or with pre-cooked bacon or prosciutto bits for convenient cooking at home.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad - a delicious cold salad that's a snap to make using pre-shredded Brussels sprouts!

Look for: Olden Pre-Shredded Brussels Sprouts, plus fresh whole Brussels Sprouts - both in the produce department

4. Think Locally - Eat Globally

The interest in world flavors isn’t waning but shoppers are looking for more convenience options for quicker meals. Ready-to-use globally inspired broths fill that niche with varieties suited for use in many dishes from Asian-style pho and Hispanic-style posole along. Simmer sauces and marinades are also popular and easily allow for home chef customization for dishes inspired by African to Thai cuisine. Even snacks get into the game with turmeric, curry and Korean flavors as some of our new favorites.

Look for: A wide variety of authentic global flavors, ramen, bagged ready-made rices and beans, Hodo Brand ready made soy nuggets, and specialty broths can be found in the Ethnic or Global Flavors aisle at your neighborhood Outpost

5. Cauliflower Keeps Kicking Carbs to the Curb

Cauliflower (and other veggies) will continue replacing traditionally carb-laden foods like crusts, crackers, flatbreads and snacks. Also look for shelf stable heat & serve convenience side dishes in pouches based on “riced” veggies like cauliflower, sweet potato and more.

Look for: Olden Rice Cauliflower, Urban Farmer BBQ Chicken Pizza with Cauli Crust, Cauliflower tortillas, Caulipower Pizza, Cascadian Farms Cauli Medley

6. Pass the Peas and the Oats

Oats and green and yellow peas are the new almonds and we’ll be seeing more dairy alternatives from ice cream to sour cream, and even cheese using these allergen-free foods as their base. Plus, jackfruit, pea proteins, and legume proteins will grow as the basis for meat alternatives with many more options and brands from which to choose.

Look for: Koolhaus Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts, Arctic Zero frozen desserts, Sieta Chickpea tortillas, Daiya Cheeses, a wide variety of oat milks including Oatly and Silk, Pea Protein, Harvest Snaps, Good Bean Chili Lime Chickpea snacks, Silk brand oat yogurts

7. I'll Drink to That - Marvelous Mocktails

Forget carbonated soda pop. In its place we’re seeing low-sugar, still or carbonated, elixirs and tonics featuring herbs, as well as innovative single serve “mocktail” style alcohol-free drinks. And don’t diss dairy, ultra-filtered milk – aka diafiltered – is the new darling of the work-out class. Cow’s milk is specially filtered to give it 50 percent more protein, 50 percent less sugar, and no lactose with a creamier, dreamier taste.

Cucumber Lime Sparkler

Birdy Mary

Fireside Sipper - from our good chums at Siren Shrub Co.

Look for: Adult flavored beverages, tonics and sodas, specialty flavor sparkling waters, kombucha, shrubs, bitters, mixers, Zyn beverages, bottled teas and coffees, and don't forget the garnish - pickles, Greek Amarena Cherries, beef sticks, fresh veggies and fruits - what did we miss?