Robots in restaurants?
The food and beverage industry has been heavily hit by the coronavirus pandemic – many restaurants or cafes went out of business, and even more people lost their jobs. Unfortunately, there is still no reason for optimism under the current circumstances as the rising prices and high costs of upkeep make it impossible for the owners to hire extra help (be it servers or cooks). Which is why, according to the report by Baum + Whiteman, the adoption of robots and other forms of automation in the restaurant industry will be the #1 trend for 2022. The report’s authors underline that it is cheaper to use robots than to hire an employee; it is also safer with COVID-19 (as it reduces the risk of coronavirus spread). With robots, any food will be available all around the clock, 7 days a week. This trend can already be seen in many places that give access to automated vending machines offering all types of dishes: from salads and sandwiches to main courses and desserts.
Plant-based diet
The need to reduce the proportion of meat and increase the share of plants in our diet has been discussed for many years, mainly because of the report published by Lancet magazine, in regard to the impact of nutrition on the environment. It is already a common knowledge that the manufacture of foods sourced from animals and highly processed foods has a relatively high environmental footprint, mainly because of greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss (e.g. palm oil). In order to protect the environment and our planet, we must modify our diet, also by reducing the share of animal source foods and increasing the share of plant products. In line with that trend, more and more people want to reduce the amount of animal source foods, without necessarily giving up on their flavour. Consequently, in order to meet the consumers’ needs, manufacturers launch adequate plant-based alternatives. According to Baum + Whiteman, plant-based chicken will be the absolute number one in the coming year and it will be available in popular fast-food chains all over the world.
The plant-based diet was also listed among the 2022 trends published by the EatingWell website, and according to the SideChef portal, the "reducetarian" movement will gain more members because it promotes a sustainable and balanced approach to a healthy lifestyle. That movement does not exclude any group of food products; instead, it focuses on moderation in food consumption. Even though the reducetarian movement provides for a reduction of animal- and highly-processed products from our daily diet (hence the name), it does not eliminate them altogether as is the case with veganism.
Immunity is our top priority!
For many years, supporting the immune system by diet was a frequent topic in the fall and winter; with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, this topic is important all year round. Over the past two years, many of us have completely changed our approach to health and now consider immunity to be a top priority. Consequently, natural ways of supporting the immune system, mainly with the right diet and healthy lifestyle, are becoming more and more popular. Functional spices and herbs, which not only add more flavour to our food but also have a positive impact on our body, such as turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, basil, thyme or rosemary, are indispensable in the kitchen. Hibiscus-based or hibiscus-flavoured drinks and food will also gain popularity, as hibiscus is famous for its high Vitamin C content which boosts immunity. According to Baum + Whiteman, as people become more aware and take more care of their health, they will also reduce their alcohol consumption, which will translate into the growth of the non-alcoholic beverage market.
Zero waste!
Environment protection in life and in the kitchen must go hand in hand. In addition to planetary diet, wise cooking and not wasting food are topics that will be on top of our agenda next year. According to the results of research carried out as part of the PROM project, which were analysed, among others, by the Food Banks and the Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research Institute (IEP-NRI), each year Poles waste nearly 5 million tons of food on average, and the highest share, as much as 60%, is wasted by food consumers. Discarded food decays and as a result, contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere which is a huge problem in view of the climate changes. It is worth noting that the zero waste movement is not only about the maximum use of the products while cooking; it starts already when you are planning your grocery shopping. Let’s keep in mind that according to that trend, conscious shopping and optimal use does not only apply to food, but also to other areas of our lives, such as clothing or household appliances.
As you can see, the above trends coincide with the main problems that we are currently dealing with almost all over the world. In addition, according to researchers, a brain-healthy diet (such as MIND), healthy aging and further development of online grocery shopping, will be other significant trends in 2022.