Food trends come and go (remember when everyone was excited about fondue?) and 2020 is no exception – even with all of the stress involved with the pandemic.  There have been a lot of new food trends this year, so it’s time to take a look at them (and of course, give my totally biased opinion about each one).

Flexitarians

You had your meat eaters, you had your omnivores.  There were vegetarians, pescatarians, and vegans.  Now comes the “flexitarian” – which means that one’s diet is basically vegetarian or vegan, but that same person will partake in meat (or fish) on occasion.  It’s basically a “cheat card” for the veggie set.  I guess I’m a member of this new “club” as well, as even though I try to maintain a pretty strict vegan diet, I will bend/break on occasion.  I mean really, who can resist a nice, crispy piece of bacon?  Flex on, you crazy flexitarians – I’m with you.

MY RATING:  Thumbs up

Coffee-Flavored Beer

Nothing says “WTF” faster than taking two perfectly good beverages (coffee and beer) and ruining them both by placing them in the same container.  Was anyone asking for this?  I have never, ever said (nor heard) – in my lifetime – the phrase “you know what would make this coffee even better?  Adding in beer.”  Same holds for the opposite.  I guess if you don’t want the impairing effects of downing a six-pack or the shaky, caffeine-fueled, alertness of drinking a strong cup of java, then this one’s for you.  So basically, you’ll be somewhere in the middle, but your thirst will be quenched.  You know what does that for me?  A glass of water.

MY RATING:  Thumbs Down

Plant-Based Proteins

Let’s face it, a plant-based diet is healthier (overall) than one loaded with meat and dairy (I’m not going to sit here and argue with you – go look it up on your own time).  Every month, retailers are making it easier to reduce your protein intake from meat/fish-based sources in favor of plant-based alternatives.  I’ve tried a fair number of these (in my pursuit of my own plant-based diet) and can tell you that many of them are quite tasty and almost indistinguishable from their actual counterparts.  For example, I’ve introduced plant-based ground beef into our regular recipes of tacos, meat sauce (for pasta), and meatloaf – and no one is the wiser.

MY RATING:  Thumbs Up

Ube

Haven’t heard of this one yet?  Don’t worry – you will.  Ube (pronounced “ooh-bay”) is a purple yam from the Philippines, and its distinctive, bright purple color is being used in desserts (think ube cheesecake or ice cream) and other food recipes.  Trust me, if it’s made with ube, you’ll know.  Again, I don’t know who was asking that “Barney the Dinosaur” be crushed in a blender and sprinkled over my pie or folded into my biscuits, but here we are.  Maybe it was someone from Smithsburg.

MY RATING: Thumbs Down

What fall food trends have you noticed to be on the rise?  Drop me a note in the comments and let me know!