As we progress into a new chapter in our lives, it’s safe to say our cuisine and culture are coming along with us—but with twists that will make your mouth water with anticipation. Well, the wait is over because Lipsteek is back with trend predictions for 2024, and this time, it’s food and fun! India is a beautiful country with even tastier food and diverse cuisines; it would be unfair not to show off the culture!
When the world is at war, eating three meals a day feels like a privilege we should be highly grateful for, especially now that some trends have caught our eye more than others! Get ready to have your taste buds tested because these trends will make you want to run to your kitchen, experiment with the latest and hottest food, and have fun!
Here is what we have predicted will make the headlines this year!
COMFORT FOOD
Who doesn’t love cake? We all know true comfort can be found in bed eating a rich, creamy chocolate cake! This year, we will likely see a rise in quick desserts and small but intricately detailed cakes, cupcakes and pastries! A whole chocolate cake looks good and tempting. Still, this year, there is an inclination towards individualism in the dessert industry, and people prefer individual cakes and treats!
This year we will likely see an unexpected rise in ice cream parlours, dessert parlours and unique bakeries because of the readily available local and imported gourmet ingredients!
Bento cakes, individual cakes, or lunchbox cakes will gain more popularity due to their pocket-friendly price and comparatively smaller size! These compact and cute cakes will gain a lot of footage and popularity on Instagram and influence many younger audiences.
Innovation is a gift that will be utilized to its full potential this year. Unique blends and new territories will be explored when it comes to gourmet desserts and sweets. We will also see a lot of contemporary blends and styles as Indian sweets get a makeover to appeal to the younger audience on social media.
Matcha lattes and boba teas are gaining more popularity. They will soon be seen all around the country as comfort drinks for all ages and audiences.
RESPONSIBLE FEASTS
Restaurants are likely to take on more responsibility, from minimizing wastage to promoting better work environments for their staff. Social media is a powerful tool, and its potential is limitless; responsible dining will become a big trend for restaurant and café owners worldwide.
Restaurants will work to minimize food waste and seek advice from traditional cooks to gain insights on responsible dining techniques. We can expect these efforts to increase over the course of the year, and even though chefs will collaborate with local brands and farmers to cut down on food wastage and extra costs, there is still a long way to go!
Workplace harassment is an active issue in 2024, and wait staff has been known to be an obvious target for a long time! Restaurants will make efforts to decrease such instances and promote a healthier and much safer work environment for their wait staff. Responsible dining is not just a trend to follow, but it should be a practice that’s being followed regardless of the sales and views it will bring to the table.
IMPULSE PAIRED WITH FOOD
Many people, such as business executives, travelers, and tourists, travel alone every day, and more people are dining out alone. This will generate a need for more individual seating spaces and booths that give them liberty over how much they want to socialize on a given evening.
Travelers and tourists are likely to explore local markets, vendors and cuisine for experience, memories and social media handles let’s be honest. Our feeds are going to be vibrant this year with loads of travel stories, vlogs and reels.
This also means that restaurants will engage in a fierce battle to outdo each other with trending dishes and cuisines, which are, unfortunately, more glamour than flavour! We have already seen and suffered a lot from these TikTok and Instagram reels, so let’s not encourage making this standard sales practice that contradicts sustainable dining.
WELLNESS TRENDS
More and more people are realizing the benefits of cutting down on alcohol; the wellness industry did not skip two beats while jumping on the trend with non-alcoholic wellness drinks to replace gin and alcohol for their audiences.
Mocktails have become very last season because of their sweet, syrupy and drastically coloured blends, and well-crafted and balanced drinks are likely to be trending this year.
According to data, more people this year are likely to convert into vegetarians and vegans this year, which is a wake-up call for the meat industry. Chefs are focusing more on simpler and cleaner recipes that shed light on vegetable that can be used on a daily basis and in every household.
Ancient forgotten grains will gain more popularity this year as people embrace the local cuisine and culture of their locality. Grains like millets, emmer, and buckwheat will become more mainstream and will be more available in restaurants and households.
Restaurants are also more likely to introduce wellness-based and healthier menus which are gluten-free and have multiple vegan options! Veganism is a trend that will outshine many this year as many celebrities and influential people are embracing and endorsing it in India and worldwide.
The food industry is due for some significant changes and renovations this year, and these were some of them we could cover, however it is not 100% sure that these trends will overtake the dining industry this year, it is most likely they will dominate the market for a while at least!
Do you have any trends in mind that are likely to change the course of the industry? If so comment them down and let us and others know! Meanwhile follow us on Instagram @lipsteekmagazine and never miss an update from us ever again!