Each year, Pinterest releases the Pinterest 100, a list of their predictions for what will be big in the upcoming year. They divide the collection into ten categories of ten that span everything from wellness to beauty to fashion to (most importantly) food. Their top ten picks for the foods that we’ll be paying more attention to in 2018 are culled from over 19 billion food and drink related pins on their site. It’s apparently one of their most popular categories. Are you surprised? We aren’t.
According to Pinterest, the last year saw a 46% increase in food and drink related pins as people increasingly turn to their phones for recipe inspiration, ideas, tips, tricks, and hacks. Here at Food52, we know the importance of the internet as a resource for the home cook—it’s practically our job!
The predictions range from ingredients to preparation. It doesn’t seem that Pinterest is claiming ownership over any of these trends, but is rather laying out a hypothesis for what they see gaining traction in the year to come. They start the list with mention of “diet-friendly frying.” It seems people are interested in new ways to achieve that crispy crunchy exterior without the slog of oil. For this effect, many turn to air fryers or dehydrators. Next, they note the increased attraction to soup. Purees are the perfect—and often portable—answer to jam-pack nutrients all in one place. Is souping the next juicing?
Apparently, pins for “healthy coffee” were up 218% on Pinterest this year. These "better" brews involve mix-ins like maca that take your morning to to the next level. Saves for recipes that included the word “Moroccan” increased a staggering 2579% this year. It seems people are waking up to the deliciousness of North African cuisine and hankering for spices like cumin, coriander, and cardamom.
The next two come as no surprise: more emphasis on plant-based proteins and snap peas as snacks. Both of these echo a direction we’ve been heading in for a few years now as plant-based eating continues to gain traction. But hey, we’re not complaining. Plant based eating tastes great—and it’s highly beneficial to the environment.
I’m happy to see gochujang getting some love on this list. Apparently the super Korean condiment is seeing searches spike over 200%. Check out our guide on the sauce and how best to cook (and eat) it. Ghee, too, is getting some love. While the staple of Indian cooking has been touted for quite some time now, it seems more people are coming to know the benefits of clarified butter. Lastly, it seems mocktails are spiking in popularity as people look for ways to sip without the spins. We’ve noticed the glance toward non-alcoholic cocktail mixes and are excited to see interest increase.
So there you have it: Pinterest's predictions of food trends for 2018. With food moving at such a fast pace, it should be interesting to see how many of these pan out and how many putter.
What do you make of these predictions? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Written by: Valerio Farris
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This year still sticking with soup, farm to table cooking, quick and easy one pot meals and the return of Jell-o molds.
See what other Food52 readers are saying.