Food
The Hottest Food Trends On Our Radar For 2020
Updated on June 14, 2022
H&H‘s food editor Eshun Mott predicts the top food trends of 2020, with recipes to get you started. Dig in!
Beyond The Bird
Chickenless chicken is this year’s version of the meatless burger. Even grocery giants like Loblaws are getting in the game with their own iterations of plant-based “chicken”. Our recipe uses faux chicken breasts glazed with a soy and hot honey sauce, all topped with a crisp slaw. For fast foodies, KFC is hoping to do for chicken what Beyond Burger did for beef patties with their new plant-based meals, coming to Canada in 2020. Vegans can hold the mayo and ask for a vegan wrap instead of a bun.
Get the recipe for Soy & Hot Honey-Glazed Faux Chicken Sandwich.
A Cut Above
When it’s real chicken you’re craving, thighs are prized for their depth of flavor and natural fat. The best method of cooking them is a braise — a super-simple technique that keeps the meat really moist and juicy. Try these two delicious options for sauces: Mushroom Agrodolce (top) or Turmeric & Orange.
Get the recipe for Mushroom Agrodolce Chicken Thighs and Turmeric & Orange Sauced Chicken Thighs.
Pacific Rim Cuisine
It’s no surprise that as we work to preserve the bounty of our oceans and the majesty of our forests, the regional cuisines of Pacific Rim countries are on our minds and our plates. Areas that border the Pacific including Asia, Australia, and North and South America contribute to the mashup of flavors that make up Pacific Rim cuisine. Our own Pacific coast has produced a gem: Sobo Restaurant of Tofino, British Columbia. Owner and chef Lisa Ahier calls her style of food “ocean meets forest.” On the menu is seaweed, lichen, oysters and berries married with fresh seafood and Asian flavors. We’ve got the recipe for her Pacific Rim Salad; zingy with ginger, mirin and lime, it’s a real keeper.
Get the recipe for Sobo’s Pacific Rim Salad.
Magic Foods
Why just have a snack when you can eat collagen-infused popcorn? Why just have a juice when you can drink an elixir that promises to improve your digestion and clear your mind? Expect to see ingredients such as probiotics, CBD oil, cbg gummies, and adaptogens — herbs, and some mushrooms, that help the body deal with stress — appearing in more and more products at your local grocery store. Fake news or the real deal? You decide.
Get The Scoop
From artisanal soft serve to nondairy ice cream, the global appetite for frozen treats sees no sign of abating. Our latest craving is for frozen custard, inspired by Shake Shack’s deliciously creamy version. Made with more eggs than ice cream, frozen custard makes a great base for adding your own flavors and toppings. Once you’ve got this basic recipe nailed, the only limit is your imagination.
Get the recipe for Shake Shack’s Frozen Vanilla Custard.
Noshing & Grazing
For anyone who finds hosting a multicourse dinner party buzzkillingly stressful, this trend is for you. Forget the standard progression of hors d’oeuvres, appetizer, main course and dessert, and say hello to a grazing-style meal. Think dips with bread, platters of meatballs, skewers of shrimp and salads — it’s a new take on Mediterranean meze. Our Zesty Whipped Feta Dip and Smoky Skillet Shrimp are the perfect pairing for your next grazing get-together.
Get the recipe for Zesty Whipped Feta Dip and Smoky Skillet Shrimp.
Conscious Consumption
By now, everyone knows to say no to plastic straws (thanks, Starbucks, for our adult sippy cups!). But as our concern for the environment grows, so will our attention to the ways our food system is still part of the problem —and how it can be part of the solution. Zero-waste grocery stores such as Toronto’s Unboxed Market and Vancouver’s The Soap Dispensary & Kitchen Staples are a great start. Getting to know the people behind what we buy — the farmer, the butcher or the bistro owner — will soon become part of the everyday retail experience.
The New Mocktail
For years, nondrinking party guests were stuck with nonfancy options like juice or pop. Beverage companies are finally waking up to the possibilities of grown-up drinks for nondrinkers. One of the most successful is Seedlip, the world’s first distilled nonalcoholic spirit. Mix Seedlip Garden 108 with tonic for a nonalcoholic G&T, or serve it with an on-trend mixer such as kombucha or shrub syrup. Nonalcoholic beers have come a long way, too, with new craft-brewed versions like Big Drop Brewing Co.’s ales that have the hoppy taste of the real deal.
Get the recipe for Seedlip’s Alcohol-Free Garden & Tonic.
Puffed
Why, yes, a texture can be a trend, as a matter of fact. This year, it’s the light crunch that comes from puffed everything. Though we never say no to cheese puffs, we’re also snacking on puffed lotus seeds, quinoa, sweet potatoes and more. Often sold as alternative snacks and breakfast cereals, puffed ingredients can also add irresistible texture to salads, or even pastas.
Power Balls
You know those balls you’ve seen in health food stores that claim to be healthful and delicious? Well, they’re even better if you make them yourself. Packed with protein, homemade snack balls are a guilt-free way to satisfy a sweet tooth. In a rush? Our pick of the store-bought balls are Koukla Delights Matcha Tea Macaroons and The GFB Gluten Free Bites in PB+J or Coconut+Cashew.
Get the recipe for Ginger & Turmeric Energy Balls.
Stacey Brandford
House & Home January 2020
Prop styling by Christine Hanlon
Produced by Eshun Mott