Top food trends of the year and what to expect in 2023
From TikTok recipes to consumer habits, here's a snapshot of the year in food.
With more food content available online than ever before, home cooks, creators and chefs alike are trying their hands at a vast array of trends, shared cooking tips, culinary adventures and all-day cravings, while keeping the cost of ingredients top of mind and seeking out easy recipes for simple, satiating dishes.
From viral recipes taking off on TikTok to changes in consumer habits amid rising food costs, this year was a whirlwind of culinary trends.
Eighty-three percent of Americans viewed food and recipe content on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, with 61% viewing content weekly or more often, according to an Instacart survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by The Harris Poll.
Here's what else that survey -- and analyses by other social media and food giants -- found.
TikTok food trends 2022
The hashtag #foodtiktok has over 112 billion views, as of time of publication.
This year, TikTok became a fount for finding fun, simple food hacks and cooking techniques that users could easily recreate and add their own spin.
KaleJunkie food creator and cookbook author Nicole Keshishian Modic regularly tested trendy recipes like the viral Erewhon smoothie dupes and other scrappy shortcuts.
She told "Good Morning America" that the recipe for viral success on social media is typically dishes that are "quick and easy with just a few steps."
"My favorite food trend has to be all things corn, of course! From the moment I saw the viral corn video, I fell in love with Corn Kid, which then inspired me to make fun recipes with corn and to do my own parody," Modic said, referring to 7-year-old Tariq, who gained internet fame after being interviewed by the popular "Recess Therapy" account, hosted by Julian Shapiro-Barnum, and passionately expressing his love of corn.
"He brought so much joy to my life, both in and out of the kitchen," Modic added.
TikTok recently shared the Top 10 "FoodTok" videos and foodie trends of 2022, which spanned everything from fast-cooking high-heat air fryer recipes like custard toast to a viral recipe for "healthy Coke."
Grated, shaved and shredded eggs became a simple way to top breakfast like avocado toast with a touch of protein or to create the smoothest egg salad sans chopping.
It's no surprise that the countertop convection heat system continued to make cooking at home an easy entry point into the kitchen. From savory toast to banana bread, the hashtag "airfryerrecipes" amassed over 1.9 billion views on TikTok this past year.
3. Boards
The hashtag "butter board" garnered 422.2 million views on the platform in 2022, thanks to Justine Doiron and her reinvention of the beloved charcuterie board.
People dubbed this effervescent mix of sparkling water and balsamic vinegar a healthy alternative to Coca-Cola, but for most, the only similarity was the deep caramel color and fizz.
"Although we can all agree that the balsamic coke trend was NOT delicious, it was fun seeing people’s reaction across social platforms," Modic said bluntly.
6. Lemon pasta
This Emily Mariko special with just four ingredients -- pasta, parmesan, butter, and lemon -- blew up on July 14 and garnered over 25 million views.
8. Turkish Eggs
Tons of people tried and loved these Mediterranean poached eggs over garlicky yogurt -- also known as cilbir -- including Daphne Oz, whose version with Aleppo pepper butter racked up nearly 200,000 likes on TikTok.
9. Biscoff tiramisu
The first recipe for this dessert was posted on TikTok on March 28, and according to Instacart analytics, the grocery shopping platform saw a spike in orders for the ingredients peak on April 3.
10. Smashed Potatoes
"This year's recap encompasses the many paths to discovery that help us enrich our lives with creative learnings," Marisa Hammonds, North America GM, TikTok said in a statement.
How food social media influenced grocery shopping
Instacart analyzed the entire mouthwatering food subgenre that propelled multiple culinary trends and was closely correlated to consumers' shopping behaviors over the last year.
"Our data suggests that TikTok virality does not necessarily translate into widespread adoption," Instacart's survey report stated, adding that the company "compared TikTok views and the growth of Instacart orders and created three categories to illustrate a recipe’s overall influence."
For example, despite 13 million views, butter boards showed no increase in orders on the primary ingredient, Instacart found. However the viral Negroni sbagliato cocktail that was first posted Oct. 1 and got over 32 million views, saw the influx of ingredients ordered hit a peak within just two weeks.
Early food trend predictions for 2023
As 2022 comes to a close, many have already looked ahead to forecast what the culinary consumer will add to their table in 2023.
Much like the corn kid, Modic said she hopes "to see more trends that spark joy and make people laugh."
Instacart trends expert Laurentia Romaniuk shared with "GMA" what she expects to see on #FoodTok in the coming year, and discussed the influence viral recipes actually have on people's shopping habits.
"Ingredient affordability and availability will be key factors for determining a food trend's success," she said, noting that 56% of the survey respondents "factor in affordability when considering making a recipe they viewed." S
She added that "49% factor in already having most of the ingredients at home ... In 2023, we’ll see new food trends emerge that are conducive to budget meals -- many of which will prioritize common pantry and fridge staples."
Second, she suggested a continuance of "simple and foolproof recipes."
"Most people like good food but they want shortcuts, even the most skilled cooks appreciate techniques for simple preparation without compromising on taste," she said, citing that 65% of Americans consider making a recipe from social media if it's "easy to make." Look for accessibile ingredients that don’t require any special techniques or equipment to continue dominating #FoodTok into 2023.
Last, she predicts that "recipes and food trends that lean into seasonality and cultural moments will see stronger traction."
Our survey found that 47% of those who view recipes and food content on social media like to make recipes featuring seasonal ingredients. Seasonal foods are fresher, tastier, more affordable, and more nutritious, so it’s no surprise this is a consideration for most. In addition to seasonality being a key factor, food trends that are timely for other cultural reasons are highly influential. Take the Green Goddess Salad for example, which peaked in January 2022 when people were exploring new, healthy recipes. We can expect to see future trends follow similar seasonal patterns.
Instagram predicts an appetite for culinary culture
In its official Instagram 2023 Trend Report, the social media platform found "cultural curiosity" to be the top driver for food trends in the year ahead.
Instagram believes that Gen Z will drive the idea of "participatory global eats" as they continue to explore different cultures through cuisine.
"Sixty-eight percent of Gen Z social media users will either continue or would like to try food from another culture after discovering it online," Instagram stated in its report. "Through creators and viral food content, Gen Z uses Instagram as a gateway to other culinary cultures."
"GMA" Food was ahead of the curve on this one, introducing home cooks to new cuisines with its "Fare from Afar" series that seeks to extend an invite to understand the tastes and techniques of other cultures without getting on a plane, explained by first-generation chefs who can lend their expertise on a given food culture.
Pinterest predicts new food trends
Pinners come to this platform to plan for the future.
Pinterest recently shared a forecast for the year ahead with its annual Pinterest Predicts report. The platform's forecast is likely reliable too: Over the last three years, Pinterest predictions have had 80% accuracy on what goes on to become top trends.
Free spirits
The nonalcoholic beverage scene has exploded in popularity, proving that the once sober curious trend has transitioned into a full fledged beverage category for a new type of conscious consumer.
"Sometimes people want to drink, sometimes they don't, sometimes they only want to drink a little -- it’s not that complicated. Gen X will drive this trend, demanding mocktails, cocktails and low-ABV options for all," Pinterest said.
The massive increase in interest has surged with spikes on the following nonalcoholic searches:
Fancy non alcoholic drinks+220%
Mocktail bar+75%
Cocktail garnish ideas creative+225%
Fancy ice cubes+75%
Creative cocktails presentation+555%
Wildflours
"Green thumbs, get thee a rolling pin. Gen X and Millennials are behind this trend that’s trading bouquets for bouqakes," Pinterest said in its forecast report. "The apothecary aesthetic comes to the kitchen, with people of all ages tackling ambitious sweet treats like wildflower cupcakes and daisy desserts."
Here's a snapshot of some early flour- (and flower-) infused searches on Pinterest:
Daisy cupcakes +85%
Wildflower cupcakes +110%
Herbal apothecary aesthetic +1025%
Purple floral cake +85%
Sage green cupcakes +210%
Culinary artist, private chef and "Eat Your Flowers" cookbook author Loria Stern has been on the forefront of this soon-to-be everywhere trend with her expertise on all things edible petals for bakes from quiche to cakes and cookies.
The YOLO years
"In 2023, Boomers and Gen X will plan epic bashes for major milestones, from 100th birthday parties to 50th anniversaries," Pinterest wrote in its report. "Look no further than jubilee cakes and thoughtfully decorated cookies."
Early searches for "50th anniversary cookies decorated" are up 135% while "Silver jubilee cake 25th anniversary" has increased a whopping 245%," according to Pinterest.
Vitamin seaweed
"In 2023, the hottest superfoods will be from the sea. A long-standing staple in Asian cultures, ocean-based foods and minerals are growing in popularity among Millennials and Gen X all over the globe thanks to their much-needed health benefits," Pinterest's report stated. "Everything from green algae and nori to seaweed snacks is trending up."
Editor's note: This was originally published on Dec. 13, 2022.
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