words Alexa Wang
While 2020 was all about banana bread, Dalgona coffee, and immunity-boosting wellness shakes, it’s time to see what 2021 has in store for us.
For some, it’s working from home while trying to balance personal responsibilities. Others are starting the year fresh with dry January leading up to Vegan February in a bid to embrace a new lifestyle in 2021.
Whatever your goal may be, food seems to be our number one pick-me-up for people heading into 2021. Here are a few dining trends we think will shake things up in the kitchen this year.
1. Gluten’s time to shine
2020 turned a lot of us into master bakers, but this year we’re going to take it one step further by making our own pasta and pizza. These are full meals in one and can be made even better when we make our dough from scratch and carb our way through the year.
Those of you with a KitchenAid can add new pasta attachments to help you roll and cut shapes of any kind. If pizza is more your gluten of choice, take it up a notch with your own fiery companion such as those from pizzaovenhub.com. Throw away your outdated recipe books and cancel any cooking classes; you’ll learn how to produce pie like a pro from your own home.
This is the year to roll gnocchi from scratch, hand-pull your own noodles, and experiment with wood-fired versus electric ovens.
2. All-day breakfasts
We now know that the ‘grab-and-go’ breakfast in a rush is a thing of the past. We have time at home and in our hands to think clearly and lavishly about breakfast and can make it a grand affair whenever we want.
A hot English breakfast is not just for late Sunday mornings anymore. In 2021, you are encouraged to enjoy a fry-up any day of the week and experiment with that delicious jar of overnight oats you’ve been putting off.
3. Cocktails with a healthy twist
More than 6.5 million people in the UK are taking part in dry January this year, and sales for ‘nolo’ (no or low alcohol) beverages have increased. We are actively seeking ways to stay healthy, and that usually starts by cutting down on alcohol consumption.
Some are focused on saving our tipple treats to only premium high-quality drinks instead of cheap and widely-available beverages.
In 2021, most of us are looking to make our own cocktails or mocktails at home using immunity-boosting ingredients like turmeric, pepper, citrus fruits, berries, herbs, and ginger.
4. Global flavors will come together
It’s time to bring the world to our tables by experimenting with flavors and recipes from different cultures and cuisines. From incorporating international ingredients into our favorite dishes to learning new cooking techniques, 2021 is an exciting time to expand our culinary horizons.
5. Prioritizing plant-based proteins
People were getting more of their proteins from plants in 2020, and we expect this trend to be on the rise this year. We may not want to go fully vegan at once, but starting with items that just happen to be vegan is a small way to change our lifestyles.
From dairy alternatives like oat milk to even many popular forms of plant-based meat, the choices we have to consume plant-based proteins get wider and easier to get a hold of.
Cook your way to comfort
Although none of us can predict what will happen this year, we can truly depend on one thing to bring comfort: a home-cooked meal. The past year has taught us to embrace simpler things and create joy in the intimate, and there’s nothing more intimate than a freshly prepared meal.
Which of these cooking trends are you going to start the year with?
