Food Trend: Brazilian Caranguejo Stew

If the Food Trend Gurus are correct, in 2014 you’re going to be eating a lot of gluten-free Brazilian food that is locally sourced from an environmentally sustainable garden.

The food trend forecast is not as wacky as it sounds.

We’re becoming more adventurous (and more picky) with our food choices. Think about it: 10 years ago, could you purchase sushi in the average supermarket? Nope.

Last year, locally sourced and gluten-free were the biggest food trends. This year, they are back and bigger than ever. Children’s nutrition, also big last year, fell off a bit, but it still cracks the top 10.

Why Brazilian food? Brazil is hosting the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, so that country’s seafood stews and local ingredients will probably become more popular as the year goes by.

Here are the hot food trends for 2014, according to the National Restaurant Association and American Culinary Foundation:

• Locally sourced meat and seafood
• Locally grown produce
• Environmental sustainability
• Healthy kids’ meals
• Gluten-free cuisine
• Hyper local food sourcing (like restaurant gardens)
• Children’s nutrition
• Non-wheat noodles (think quinoa, black rice)
• Sustainable seafood
• Farm/estate branded items

The fastest rising trends that didn’t quite crack the top 10 include:
• Nose-to-Tail, Root-to-Stalk cooking
• Pickling
• Ramen
• Dark Greens
• Brazilian, Southeast Asian, Peruvian and Korean cuisine

And the least trendy? Let’s just say sweet potato fries and salted caramel have had their day.