Food trends expected for 2022
The most significant food trend of 2021 was that food was either homemade or delivered. The pandemic caused a series of lockdowns forcing people to order food to their homes. Eating out was a highly complex option because of the many restrictions placed on the restaurants and the public. Most of the time, it just wasn’t worth the effort. Existing online delivery services got more prominent, and new ones entered the market. Now, restaurants that had previously not featured on these apps had to do so. Another trend of 2021 was the air fryer. Many people tried to make every dish imaginable in this gadget. Pasta chips and feta cheese pasta were a couple of the most popular food inventions to emerge from the air fryer’s popularity. Mexican burritos and Malaysian Nasi Goreng also became quite popular meals.
Ghost Kitchen
A ghost kitchen is a professional kitchen that does not have a dine-in facility. They are a delivery service only. Ghost kitchens became popular during the pandemic to serve all the people stuck at home during the lockdown. Since people were locked inside, most of their daily activities consisted of working from home, some entertainment and food. The living room became the new cinema, land-based casinos were replaced by online casinos, while restaurants were substituted with ghost kitchens. Many people still find the ghost kitchens and food deliveries to be very convenient, especially because they can watch a movie, read a book or play best slots Ireland without having to leave their house and interrupt what they are doing.
Plant Dominance
Vegetarianism and veganism will continue to grow in 2022. There are a few main reasons for this. People are becoming more environmentally friendly and have decided to cut meat from their diets. Furthermore, this form of food tastes great, especially with the emergence of meat alternatives like vegan bacon and chicken. Finally, with the pandemic coming to an end, there has been a shift to healthier lifestyles and food, increasing the demand for vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Sustainable Packaging
The pandemic and the subsequent consumption of dine-in food highlighted the amount of plastic packaging we were using. The most environmentally conscious restaurants delivered their food in sustainable packaging like recycled cardboard, accompanied by wooden disposable eating utensils. Ultimately, it was the pandemic that had a significant change in attitude towards this type of packaging. It is worth noting that this has been more prevalent in developed countries, with other countries lagging behind. Nevertheless, it is believed that this trend will become more widespread in the coming years.
Limited and Creative Menus
There are several advantages to keeping a menu short and creative. With a more concise menu, the chef is familiar with a dish and can maintain a high standard every time. Fewer items on the menu and fewer items in stock reduce the inventory cost and risk of waste. With the increased price of food, especially meat, restaurant owners have to be very careful with their purchases. They can also be creative and produce more dishes from the same raw material, further adding to the efficiency of the business. The good news is that the customer will be happy as it has been proved that they like shorter menus, as they make it easier to decide what to order.
Conclusion
The pandemic changed the restaurant business forever. Although it might decrease slightly in 2022, the shift to home delivery food is here to stay. Both delivery services and restaurants have saturated the market now. Vegetarian and vegan food will benefit from this, and the sector will continue to grow. A combination of increased prices and greener thinking will reduce the demand for meat, especially beef. Now that restaurants are open again, people might find that the menus have changed and the quality of food got better, albeit from a shorter and more creative menu.
