2018’s food trends according to Waitrose

November 6, 2017 by
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 grilled saffron prawns

Each fall, Waitrose publishes an annual report on food and drink. In it, they predict what the next year’s big trends will be. Often, they are right on the mark – last year, they correctly predicted trends like gourmet meal kits and botanical cocktails. Last week, Waitrose published their report for 2018, providing us with clues as to what – and how – we’ll be eating and drinking next year.

Waitrose thinks Indian street food is due for expansion. The focus will be on be’ on tapas-style Indian street food including “smoked, grilled or seared delicacies, such as scallops in pickled ginger.” Another trend is what they are calling Japanese ‘dude food’. That combines the hearty fare of the southern US states with the “unctuous, rich and surprising flavours of after-hours Tokyo.”

The report also lists current trends. The first isn’t a food per se, but rather how we shop for foods. The pattern of going on a massive weekly shop to pick up everything for the next week is changing to a mode of smaller but more frequent trips to the store. One benefit of this trend is that it helps people to waste less food. Waitrose says we are becoming “‘supermarket hunter-gatherers’: we shop for food only when required, treating stores like our very own walk-in fridges.”

Photo of Grilled saffron prawns with carrot & coconut salad (Jhinga zafrani) from Mr Todiwala’s Spice Box by Cyrus Todiwala

Category: Antipasto

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7 Comments

  • wester  on  November 7, 2017

    OK. Last years predictions for 2017 were poke (Hawaiian raw fish), vegetable yogurts, and watermelon juice. Did any of you notice any of those? I didn't.

  • readingtragic  on  November 7, 2017

    Not sure where you are, but poke is HUGE in Australia; new places opening every week

  • Rinshin  on  November 8, 2017

    Poke is very big in california. We have several opened up within 2-3 miles. Poke available at costco nearby. Have not noticed veggy yogurt or watermelon juices but I am mostly wine drinker or bottled water.

  • TrishaCP  on  November 8, 2017

    A (chain) poke restaurant opened right by my office this year in Washington DC, and it is hugely popular at lunch. I've noticed more watermelon agua fresca options on menus too, but no sightings of veggie yogurt my way!

  • hillsboroks  on  November 8, 2017

    I agree with trend for more frequent shopping. Since the kids grew up and moved out and I have been using EYB to do more interesting cooking, I find myself only shopping for a couple of days at a time and leaving my options open to explore new recipes.

  • RuthGo  on  November 9, 2017

    Poke is EVERYWHERE, they were spot on with that one. I've also seen some yogurts begin to use veggies, usually in a mix with fruit. And I have seen some commercial juices with watermelon in them. So actually they seem spot on to me in Brooklyn.

  • kitchen_chick  on  November 9, 2017

    In my town local grocery stores with to-go sushi bars sell "poke bowls", and a friend recently bought a yogurt with kale and ginger. She reports it was awful.

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