What's happening to our food culture? Top 10 food trends of 2018 and beyond.

The last few years we've seen a definitive shift in food trends and consumption, all of which are a reflection of a culture that's shifting towards formidable trends that point to all the latest health trends and environmentally sustainable practices when it comes to food growth and farming.

5 years ago there was no such thing as hyped up smashed up avo on a Sunday morning breakfast run, or a rainbow breakfast acai bowl, not to mention kombucha drinks and meat free burgers. There is a serious shift occurring and we are are the forefront of change in this industry, and it's going to rise rapidly.

2018 is set to be a year of new trends and some just getting bigger, see some predictions below:

1. Gut-friendly food

There is no denying we are seeing an increase in people with intolerances, and food trends shifting towards gluten, dairy and pretty much everything free. 2018 will see a rise in foods available at cafes and restaurants specifically designed to help the gut, and align to trends. This includes fermented, pickled, and preserving becoming increasingly popular.

2. Plant-based protein

Diets are becoming more focused on being plant powered as we shift away from being a dominant meat eating society and become more aligned to fresh produce. A lot of people are reducing highly processed foods from their diet and consuming more fresh natural foods instead. We can see the number of vegans and vegetarians continue to rise as health trends and shopping behaviours are starting to reflect this too.

3. Breakfast bowls

This craze has well and truly hit the mainstream with every cafe and breakfast spot offering a rainbow coloured bowl filled with kale, ribbon zucchini, hummus, nuts and avocado. Not to mention the array of fresh juices and instagram-able healthy food. We don't mind this at all because it help to shape new trends and attitudes!

4. Organic continued

Organic food will continue growth in the number of consumers who purchase and seek this food. This also comes as people start to shift towards growing at home, and want to remove the GMOs and manufactured foods.

5. Super powders

Supercharge a juice or smoothie with one of the powdered extracts. Simple to add but big on benefits. Moringa, acai, maca, chlorella, baobab and spirulina are a few favourites.

6. Food tech

Uber Eats, Menu Log, Deliveroo, Marley Spoon and the list goes on. Specialised delivery and home recipe kits are an emerging trend, set to become even bigger. Tying in with this, the development of smart fridges will take the hassle out of ordering ingredients. We can also look forward to more voice-operated gadgets such as Google Home and Alexa to record and order your shopping lists.

7. Transparency

The Australian Government as well as other world institutions have called for stricter food labels and rules around ingredients and transparency. The age old "made from local and imported ingredients" no longer cuts it, this is a great step to understanding what we are eating and where it is made, this also help us to make better choices at the shelf!

8. Cannabis & Hemp Snacks

“As a health-conscious nation, it won’t take long until hemp becomes a main-stream food ingredient,” Paul Benhaim, the CEO of Elixinol Global, which makes hemp product, says. “Hemp is a highly nutritious source of quality plant-based protein”. Rich source of omega-3 and omega-6, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

We've seen an increase in companies playing with hemp infused food, including chocolate and sprinkle seeds to add to our meals. Watch this space.

9. Sugar Alternatives

We're over bloated corporations pouring an abundance of excess sugar into our food, adding to all that unwanted, processed and cell damaging garbage we consume. We're seeing the rise of natural sugars used in foods, as well as new sugar free foods that are a better alternative - check out Noshu!

10. Meat or is it?

Scientist and food technicians across the globe have been developing a range of faux meat products, made in a lab and totally vegan—even Leonardo DiCaprio, Richard Branson and Bill Gates have all invested in companies working on plant-based meat substitutes, or meat that's grown in a lab without harming animals.