What food and drink trends will we see in 2022? 6 things to try, including potato milk and umami paste

From climatarianism to mushroom powder, here are some of the food and drink concepts and diets that could go big in 2022
What could we be eating more of in 2022? Here are 6 food trends we could be hearing more of (images: Getty)What could we be eating more of in 2022? Here are 6 food trends we could be hearing more of (images: Getty)
What could we be eating more of in 2022? Here are 6 food trends we could be hearing more of (images: Getty)

Brits often take a long, hard look at their diets around the turn of the new year.

Whether it be to lose weight, eat more healthily or even abstain entirely from some food or drink items - for example, through Veganuary or Dry January - many people give new things a try.

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Given its emphasis on the new, this time of year is also a great time to look at what food trends could be set to emerge.

So NationalWorld has looked at some of the new products and ideas we can expect to see coming from the food and drink world this year.

From climatarianism to umami, here are six food trends to look out for:

Potato milk

Plant based milks are now a common sight in supermarkets up and down the country.

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Oat, soy and coconut have gained mainstream acceptance for use in tea and coffee.

The humble spud is already a key part of the British diet - but it it set to hit supermarkets in liquid form (image: Getty Images)The humble spud is already a key part of the British diet - but it it set to hit supermarkets in liquid form (image: Getty Images)
The humble spud is already a key part of the British diet - but it it set to hit supermarkets in liquid form (image: Getty Images)

But, according to Waitrose, you will soon be adding potato milk to that list.

The supermarket believes the low sugar and low saturated fat content of the dairy alternative will be a hit with coffee shop culture, and is set to stock Swedish brand Dug from February.

Mushroom powder

Nothing quite beats the smell and flavour of a mushroom, particularly rehydrated varieties like porcini.

But not everyone is a fan of the texture.

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So how best to get all of the flavour without the elements you don’t want? Reduce it to a powder of course.

Chopping up different varieties of mushroom and reducing them to a powder can add intense flavour to dishes (image: Getty Images)Chopping up different varieties of mushroom and reducing them to a powder can add intense flavour to dishes (image: Getty Images)
Chopping up different varieties of mushroom and reducing them to a powder can add intense flavour to dishes (image: Getty Images)

While the concept of a powdered mushroom is nothing new, products aren’t widely available in the major supermarkets yet.

Fear not, though, as according to Riverford - the organic veg box delivery company - it’s easy to make your own.

Just thinly slice a few different varieties of mushroom, bung them in an oven that’s on a low-temperature setting until they’re crisp (approximately four hours) and then blitz them in a food processor.

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The result should be an intensely flavoured powder than can be added into dishes to add umami and a depth of flavour.

Seaweed

While you might think you’ve eaten seaweed before, the chances are you probably haven’t.

For the shredded, savoury sweet leaves you get with your Chinese tend to be made from kale.

However, you can expect to see actual seaweed on your weekly shop sometime soon, albeit in two slightly different guises to how you would expect.

Seaweed could become a common sight on UK dinner plates - although possibly not in its purest form (image: AFP/Getty Images)Seaweed could become a common sight on UK dinner plates - although possibly not in its purest form (image: AFP/Getty Images)
Seaweed could become a common sight on UK dinner plates - although possibly not in its purest form (image: AFP/Getty Images)
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Trade magazine Food Navigator reported in January that a UK start up - Soyzë - has gained listings at popular London chain Planet Organic for seaweed-based fish sauce, soya sauce and oyster sauce alternatives.

The sauces, which use seaweed grown in Scotland, are all said to have less of an environmental impact than the condiments they’re designed to replace.

The same company supplying Soyzë, Wick-based Shore, also produces pestos, tapenades and even seaweed chips - the latter of which are on sale in some Scottish Co-op and Sainsbury’s stores.

Alongside the ingredient’s environmental credentials, Shore says seaweed should be given ‘superfood’ status because of its nutritional content, which includes prebiotic fibre, protein, magnesium antioxidants and iodine.

Hemp-derived products have managed to ditch their cannabis connotations over the last few years (image: Getty Images)Hemp-derived products have managed to ditch their cannabis connotations over the last few years (image: Getty Images)
Hemp-derived products have managed to ditch their cannabis connotations over the last few years (image: Getty Images)

CBD wine

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CBD, or Cannabidiol, has been added to pretty much every food and drink product you can imagine over the last couple of years.

Said to be effective for stress relief and boosting immunity (although the scientific evidence to support these claims is not yet watertight), the cannabis plant extract has ditched its ‘druggy’ connotations and can now be found on supermarket shelves in everything from chewing gum to plant based milk.

And now, we can add alcohol to that list, with Ocado predicting CBD wine will be a big seller in 2022.

A wine that’s supposed to be good for you - that’s got to be a winning combination, surely?

Climatarianism

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So it’s no surprise that Waitrose believes a diet focused on reducing your carbon footprint could be set to take centre stage this year.

While people have already started to factor climate change into their diets - for example, by turning to plant based diets (Ocado recorded a 29% year-on-year increase in plant based alternatives in 2021) - the climatarian diet isn’t solely about ditching meat.

This diet encourages you to reduce your intake of more carbon-intensive foods - everything from beef to almonds - and also to eat more seasonally and locally.

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It even extends to considering whether or not your food is packaged in a climate friendly way.

Following such a diet has become easier over the last year as some brands have introduced carbon footprint labelling on their products.

For example, products from plant based butter alternative Flora Plant now carry a measurement of how much CO2 has been emitted during their production.

And a number of businesses, including Nestle and PepsiCo, are devising a method to introduce standardised carbon labelling through not-for-profit organisation Foundation Earth.

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This effort has already seen brands like meat firm Finnebrogue and processed vegetable brand Mash Direct trial a form of carbon labelling on their products.

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