10 Food trends you can expect to see everywhere in 2024

Every year, Whole Foods sets the culinary stage by revealing its top 10 anticipated food trends for the upcoming year.

In their latest trends predictions report, which marks the 9th edition of this annual tradition, the beloved supermarket shares a look at trendy ingredients, flavours, and gastronomical experiences that it believes will shape 2024. 

Let's dig into the upcoming culinary trends that promise a mix of innovation, sustainability, and irresistible flavour.

1. Back to Real Food with Plant-Based Products

In a nod to the classics, plant-based cuisine returns triumphantly to real-food ingredients, reinvigorating veggie burgers and simplifying nutrition labels. Emerging protein-forward products are embracing real food alternatives like mushrooms, walnuts, tempeh, and legumes—and moving away from complex meat alternatives—while plant-based milk alternatives are adopting cleaner labels—perfect for the discerning vegetarian.

Try the Trend:

• Actual Veggies Green Burger
• Abbot’s Butcher Plant-Based Chopped Chick’n (available in select stores)
• Three Trees Organic Original Unsweetened Almondmilk

2. Utilizing the Whole Cacao

Drawing inspiration from centuries-old practices, brands like Blue Stripes are putting the spotlight on the entire cacao fruit. At EARTH University in Costa Rica, discarded cacao pulp is transformed into jellies and jams, showcasing sustainable and innovative uses. The emergence of cacao fruit powders in 2023 offers a sweet alternative for those seeking a natural sugar substitute.

Try the Trend:

• Blue Stripes Urban Cacao Water
• Dried Cacao Fruits Chocolate Bars
• Chocolate Covered Cacao Beans

3. A Buckwheat Boom

As a cover crop supporting soil health, buckwheat is emerging as a superfood seed, bringing protein, carbs, and fibre to the table. Naturally gluten-free, buckwheat is finding its way into an array of products, from plant-based milk alternatives to crackers and granola, and you can expect to see a lot more of it in 2024. 

Try the Trend:

• Maine Crisp Buckwheat Crackers Savory Fig & Thyme (available in select stores)
• Whole Foods Market Sesame Soba Noodle & Mushroom Bowl (launching in 2024)
• Lil Bucks Clusterbucks Buckwheat Granola Bites Chocolate Sea Salt (available in select stores)

4. Fancy Vegan Fish

The trend of elevated plant-based seafood is making waves, featuring creative alternatives like carrot lox, trumpet mushrooms standing in for scallops, and the lesser-known veggie root konjac in sushi rolls and poke bowls. Whether you're a plant-based devotee or a curious foodie excited to try the next big trend, there's a faux fish for you in 2024.

Try the Trend:

• Plant-Based Spicy Tuna Roll and Plant-Based Spicy Sno’ Crab Roll at Whole Foods Market sushi venues
• Good Catch Plant-Based New England Style Crab Cakes
• Seed to Surf Plant-Based Tinned Seafood (part of Whole Foods Market’s 2023 LEAP Early Growth Cohort)

5. Water-Conserving Food and Household Products

Water conservation takes center stage in 2024, with brands championing sustainability across various aisles, from pantry staples to fresh juices and olive oil. Innovative companies utilize fruit by-products, and the rise of regenerative agriculture promotes soil health initiatives that conserve water. NGOs support farmed oysters for coastal ecosystem restoration, while lifestyle brands introduce water-conscious products like shampoo and laundry detergent sheets.

Try the Trend:

• Lundberg Family Farms Regenerative Organic Certified Basmati Rice
• Garcia de la Cruz Organic Everyday Extra Virgin Olive Oil (available in select stores)
• Pacha Soap Hydrate Shampoo & Conditioner Bars

6. Complex Spice Infusions: Global Peppers in Just About Everything

The evolution of complex heat continues, with global peppers making their mark in a wide variety of products. Specialty peppers from around the globe, such as Guajillo, Scorpion and Hungarian Goathorn Peppers get the the whole gamut of preparation techniques from pickled, and ground to fermented, while pepper-infused drinks go beyond traditional options and are now the star ingredient in smoothies and fresh-pressed juices, offering a refreshing sipper with a kick.

Try the Trend:

• Nando’s PERi-PERi XX Hot Sauce
• SOMOS Mexican Chili Crisp with Nuts & Seeds
• Whole Foods Market Calabrian Chile Pepper & Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

7. Elevated Instant Noodles

Instant noodles get a gourmet makeover, with brands offering elevated options free from certain preservatives and added MSG. As consumers seek simple and instant meals, these noodles promise the ease and comfort of a warm bowl with high-quality ingredients and enticing flavours.

Try the Trend:

• Momofuku Tingly Chili Wavy Noodles and Spicy Soy Noodle
• immi Black Garlic ‘Chicken’ Ramen
• Lotus Foods Spicy Kimchi Rice

8. Tiny Treats - Luxurious Rewards in Bite-Size Format

Embracing the "Little Treat Culture" popularized by TikTok creators, brands are introducing bite-sized indulgences. From individual serving packages to budget-friendly luxuries, these tiny treats offer small and tasty rewards at affordable price points.

Try the Trend:

• Petit Pot Crème Brûlée and Strawberry Cheesecake
• Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co. Sardines with Preserved Lemon and Sardines with Hot Peppers (currently available in select stores, launching in all stores in 2024)
• Whole Foods Market’s Self-Serve Macarons

9. Hormonal Help

Social media has sparked a wave of hormonal remedy recipes, from seed cycling energy bites tailored to each luteal phase to all sorts of recipes for estrogen management. Brands address life stages and symptoms that were once overlooked, offering various prepackaged foods to support the many life phases women face, from our menstrual cycle to pregnancy, menopause, and even sleep.

Try the Trend:

• Wile Perimenopause Support Supplement
• 365 brand Organic Tart Cherry Juice
• 365 brand Organic Whole Flaxseed

10. Superfood-Infused Coffee

For caffeine enthusiasts, there's a new "clean caffeine" era combining an energy boost with health benefits. Coffee and energy drinks with gut-supportive probiotics, added superfood mushrooms, and more promise a delightful and health-conscious way to kickstart your day. Look for these superfood-infused brews popping up everywhere even more in 2024.

Try the Trend:

• Four Sigmatic Think Organic Coffee with Lion’s Mane Mushroom
• Halfday Prebiotic Green Tea with Honey and Ginseng (available in select stores)
• GORGIE Energy Drink Sparkling Electric Berry and Peachy Keen (available in select stores)

About the Author

Alicia is a journalist and editor in digital and print media specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and wellness. She was previously the Editorial Director of Clean Eating and Vegetarian Times. Her work has also appeared in Hone Health The Edge, Yoga Journal, Women’s Running, and Oxygen, among others. In addition to being a content creator, she's an ISSA-certified nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and fitness studio owner in Toronto. Alicia loves spreading the word about helpful, science-backed health information, and she can be contacted via her website at aliciamtyler.com