The Next Biggest Food Trends of 2022

As we close the first month of the New Year there are still many who are still in their New Year Resolution of eating healthier and while it may sound like a resolution now there are actual trends slowly paving the way how we see food being prepared, packaged and much more. Plant-based meats and a lean toward sustainable eats crested during 2021 there has been an increase of other creative new food trends making it’s debut this year.

This year will likely see more plant-based foods and sustainable packaging to wrap it in. Even more likely will be shorter supplies of, well, everything, leading to shorter menus, but longer creativity and fusion.

Ghost Kitchens

Like a shadow, a ghost kitchen works to spread dark foods. Actually foods of all types, but only to-go food. The coming-in-March ghost kitchens for trending Tik Tok foods via Virtual Dining Concepts.

These phantasms will arise in chain restaurants like Buca di Beppo, which should be easy, seeing as the elder Robert Earl owns those as well. Wendy’s is following suit, planning 700 ghost kitchens over the next five years. Yelp now has a ‘Virtual Kitchens’ option to find ghost kitchens in your area.

Plant Dominance

While sustainable packaging may be the biggest focus for restauranteurs, the food industry is focused on plants — edible plants. These range from plant-based proteins to potato milk.

In 2021, fast food chains rolled out Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat upon griddles from coast to coast. Even as Meati jumped into the red mycological meat game, brands tended to move to the other white meats last year.

After Gordon Ramsey presented his vegan bacon on TikTok in July, MyEats followed suit with a MyBacon that looks just as crispy and delicious as its porcine cousin. Plant seafood saw huge strides as well with Vegan Zeastar’s fresh “salmon” and “tuna” sashimi.

Sustainable Packaging

If you haven’t noticed the trend yet, there seemed to be a shift in the nature of the to-go containers handed off from eateries in the past year. The national push toward sustainable packaging throughout U.S. urban centers seems to have been the last domino to fall.

Whether they’re biodegradable straws or simple cardboard boxes, most restaurants are moving toward some sort of green casing. Healthy food and reusable or recyclable restaurant supplies are expected to be coming in 2022 for food establishments.

Limited but Creative Menus

Have you tried to buy chicken wings lately? Prices are through the roof for most meat and vegetable products. Phrases like ‘supply chain’ carry dire consequences now.

There has been predictions that menu streamlining will likely continue through 2022. With how things been lately with shortages that simple logistics forced eight out of 10 table-service restaurants to shorten menus. These shorter menus can save labor costs and reduce waste. They can also lead to more creative options. Streamlining the menu to focus on delicious food without too many choices will help businesses effectively manage their costs.

Food Fusion

It would seem strange to see this collision of food trends happening even as people stay home, were it not for the necessity involved. When you can’t get enough Lebanese ingredients, you decide to combine a few Japanese vegetables from the Asian Market. Suddenly you’ve invented a new food type. Humans are endless experimenters with food, which means they’re often adventurous eaters as well.