Joystiq has you covered with all things Metal Gear Solid 4!

Top trends shaping the food industry

When it comes to food, just as with everything else, there are fads. These fads are subsets of long-lasting, broader trends that really shape the way we eat. For example, the lo-carb craze of a few years ago was part of a general weight-loss trend, which also covered a whole group of various "fad" diets. That trend slowly turned into one of the new top trends: healthy eating.

Since we're talking about food every day here, it's interested to take a step back and look at the broad categories that so shape how we think about food on a daily basis. As of now, the top trends in food processing, along with a few of their "trendlets," are:

  1. Organics: This includes an increased interest in how foods are handled and produced. Growing concern for the environment and for how GMO foods impact us leads to consumers seeking out and valuing "natural" foods, local/regional goods and those produced with sustainable and fair trade policies.

2. Health and Wellness: This trend is a step up from weight loss, as our overall well being is now more important than simply slimming down. Energy bars and other vitamin/mineral fortified products fall into this trend.
3. Age: Food isn't just for adults from 20-50 anymore. There is an ever-growing concern over what babies, children and teens eat, as well as what foods are best for fighting disease as we age.
4. Portion: Smaller portions of better foods in restaurants are important to those who dine out frequently, and portion-controlled snacks are one of the fastest growing market segments.
5. Globalization: We may want to eat food that is grown locally, but we want to taste the world with exotic spices and imported foods and cooking techniques.
6. Kosher/Halal: An increased global awareness in spiritualism helped fuel this trend, but the majority of halal and kosher products are marketed as being "safer" and more reliable than other foods due to their very strict, tightly controlled production policies.

For the most part, it seems like these are dead on. In the not-too-distant future, slow food might make it to the top, as could "artisan"/traditional goods. Are there any trends that you've seen that are missing from the list as it stands now?

[Thanks, Alanna]

Related Headlines

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Tip of the Day

With a few simple steps, you can make sure your mushrooms are caramelized rather than oil-filled and steamed.

Slashfood Features


Seasons
Spring (18)
Summer (141)
Fall (2)
Winter (1)
What is it?
Beef (548)
Bread (30)
Candy (456)
Cheese (464)
Chocolate (775)
Comfort Food (638)
Condiments (229)
Dairy (515)
Eggs (263)
Fish (323)
Fruit (928)
Grains (600)
Meat (265)
Nuts/seeds (288)
Pork (330)
Poultry (396)
Rice (22)
Shellfish (149)
Soups/Salads (43)
Spices (293)
Sugar (399)
Vegetables (1182)
Holidays
Christmas (68)
Easter (20)
Halloween (40)
Hanukkah (9)
New Year's (11)
St. Patrick's Day (13)
Thanksgiving (49)
Valentine's Day (31)
Memorial Day (13)
Mother's Day (32)
Passover (7)
News
Artisan Foods (55)
Bakeries (128)
Books (738)
Business (1138)
Celebrities (77)
Coffee shops (179)
Farming (391)
Fast Food (238)
Food News (102)
Health & Medical (744)
How To (1226)
Lists (738)
Local Eating (63)
Magazines (459)
New Products (1381)
Newspapers (1492)
On the Blogs (2223)
Raves & Reviews (1071)
Recipes (2109)
Restaurants (1286)
Science (686)
Site Announcements (174)
Stores & Shopping (928)
Television/Film (562)
Trends (1278)
Vegetarian/Vegan (51)
Features
Cheese Course (5)
Cheese Course (0)
Diary of a Distiller (9)
Guilty Pleasures (37)
Raising the Bar (12)
Tip of the Day (94)
Alt-SlashFood (42)
Back to School (14)
Brought to you by the letter D (37)
Cookbook of the Day (431)
Cooking Live with Slashfood (80)
Cooking Without a Recipe (3)
Culinary Kids (225)
Did you know? (442)
Fall Flavors (124)
Feast Your Eyes (75)
Food Gadgets (461)
Food Oddities (890)
Food Porn  (876)
Food Quest (169)
Foodie Flicks (2)
Frugal Food (72)
Garden Party (25)
Grilled Cheese Day (34)
Hacking Food (107)
Happy Hour (210)
Head to Tail (35)
in sixty seconds (408)
Ingredient Spotlight (26)
Leftovers  (44)
Light Food (182)
Liquor Cabinet (163)
Lush Life (225)
Our Bloggers (22)
Pizza Day (40)
Pop Food (146)
Pumpkin Day (10)
Real Kitchens (76)
Retro cookery (111)
Sandwich Day (32)
Slashfood Ate (106)
Slashfood Bowl 2008 (17)
Slashfood Challenge (1)
Slashfood Talks (4)
Slow cooking (51)
Spirit of Christmas (174)
Spirit of Summer (178)
Spirited Cooking Day (29)
Spring Cleaning (23)
Steak Day (19)
Super Bowl XLII (73)
Super Size Me (117)
The Best ... in All of New York (13)
The History of... (68)
What Time Is It?
Breakfast (689)
Dessert (1231)
Dinner (1305)
Hors D'oeuvres (287)
Lunch (938)
Snacks (1059)
Where Is It?
America (2307)
Europe (453)
France (131)
Italy (142)
Asia (498)
Australia (149)
British Isles (842)
Caribbean (35)
Central Africa (7)
East Coast (550)
Eastern Europe (42)
Islands (52)
Mediterranean (129)
Mexico (15)
Middle East (54)
Midwest Cities (222)
Midwest Rural (68)
New Zealand (62)
North America (76)
Northern Africa (20)
Northern Europe (65)
South Africa (30)
South America (89)
South Asia (123)
Southern States (206)
West Coast (911)
What are you doing?
Baking (724)
Barbecuing (98)
Boiling (126)
Braising (18)
Broiling (33)
Frying (172)
Grilling (177)
Microwaving (33)
Roasting (85)
Slow cooking (25)
Steaming (45)
Choices
 (0)
Fairtrade (10)
Additives
Artificial Sugars (36)
High-fructose corn syrup (14)
MSG (6)
Trans Fats (57)
Libations
Hot chocolate (24)
Soda (155)
Spirits (346)
Beer (310)
Brandy (4)
Champagne (78)
Cocktails (383)
Coffee (352)
Gin (102)
Juice (117)
Liqueurs (52)
Non-alcoholic (18)
Rum (84)
Teas (169)
Tequila (11)
Vodka (147)
Water (81)
Whisky (98)
Wine (588)
Affairs
Celebrations (42)
Closings (9)
Festivals (31)
Holidays (236)
Openings (40)
Parties (199)
Tastings (139)

RESOURCES

RSS NEWSFEEDS

Powered by Blogsmith

Featured Stories

Featured Galleries

I scream, you scream...
Food delivery at its finest
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Diary of a Distiller: Chapter Nine - Brewery & Distillery Construction
Diary of a Distiller: Chapter Nine - Culinary Couples
Diary of a Distiller: Chapter Nine - Lobsters and Oysters
Diary of a Distiller: Chapter Eight - Fourth of July Parade
Diary of a Distiller: Chapter Eight - Bar Harbor, Mt. Cadillac, Sunset House B&B, and Schoodic Point
Sugarcraft Masterpieces
Diary of a Distiller: Chapter Seven -  Happy Independence Day and X-mas in July
Cheese sculpture gallery
Forester's Spicy Hot Dog Onion Sauce
 

Sponsored Links

Most Commented On (60 days)

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in:

Also on AOL