It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day. It’s a new life. 2021. Finally. We’ve missed travel, work, family, friends, parties, shopping. We’ve missed life as we knew it, and the everyday things we took for granted. People have suffered with health, work and financial troubles. It’s been a shocker. Let’s hope the worst is behind us. With the advent of more hopeful times, we can’t wait to get back to doing the things we love with the people we love. But what new tidings will 2021 bring? New work? New destinations? New people? We can’t guarantee exciting prospects on all those fronts, but we can promise you that your culinary horizons will be broadened beyond your wildest dreams.
So, what should we anticipate next year?
You are what you eat
In the face of the calamitous impact of the pandemic on our mental health, wellbeing through food is a major focus for 2021. Foods designed with health benefits will continue to rise in popularity with brands incorporating vitamins, probiotics and other wellness-boosting properties into their products.
It’s all in the oil
New and exciting varieties of oil are appearing on supermarket shelves including pumpkin and sunflower seed oils and many more. Many varieties are healthier and lower in fat and cholesterol than traditional cooking oils. Earth-friendly oils are the ones to keep an eye out for as we become increasingly aware of the effects of palm and canola oils on the natural world. Sunflower and pumpkin butters are also new additions to the Quattro pantry.
Cheeky chickpeas
More than just hummus. Aquafaba is the water in the can that chickpeas are stored in. It’s being used everywhere, from meringues to macarons, chickpea juice is healthy, gluten-free and an excellent vegan substitute for eggs.
Crikey! Carob is back!
Make way for the new ‘non-sugar’ sweetener. To compensate for a lack of the amino acid hydroxyproline or HYP in a vegan diet, carob is back – bursting with HYP, protein, fibre, antioxidants, calcium and iron, it’s also caffeine and gluten-free and tastes naturally sweet. Win, win.
2021 will see food manufacturing and packaging processes becoming more eco-friendly as technology enjoys an upgrade, with a host of innovative food-tech start-ups changing the face of the market.
Some examples of these ground-breaking businesses include Harvest London, which aims to create a sustainable food system incorporating green agriculture techniques like hydroponic farming and only produce according to demand, eliminating food waste.
Caulibox makes affordable, reusable environmentally friendly lunch boxes and It’s Fresh produce food packaging from sustainable and recycled materials to help keep fruit and vegetables fresh, sustainably.
We’re also seeing a more moderate tone in terms of encouraging people to eat plant-based diets with an emphasis on reducing rather than eliminating our intake of fish, meat and dairy products. A more measured approach should entice potential converts rather than alienate committed carnivores.
Change is afoot. Here’s to a healthy, green, happy and delicious 2021!