Food Trends To Try In 2023
Whether you consider yourself a foodie or are just looking for new foods to explore in 2023, here are a few trends that may dominate menus in restaurants and bars this year.
- Swicy food
Yes, you read that right. Swicy food. Sweet and spicy food is now called swicy. You may discover entrees, desserts, or sides made with sweet and spicy ingredients. Foods like hot honey, chili dark chocolate candy bars, and even hot chicken made with hot sauce mixed with strawberry jam may be categorized as swicy foods.
- Mocktails
Alcohol-free cocktails are gaining popularity among health-conscious consumers who want to enjoy the flavors of margaritas, Shirley Temples, Cosmos, and other drinks without the side effects of alcohol.
- Mushrooms
You’ve heard of shiitakes, portabellas, and crimini mushrooms. But in 2023, other varieties like oyster mushrooms and trumpet mushrooms will appear in appetizers and other various dishes.
- Butter boards
Charcuterie boards have been reimagined with butter as the base. Simply apply a thick coat of high quality salted and grass fed butter on the board and lather it onto french bread, challah, crostini, or crackers. You could also top the butter with dates, fig jam, roasted garlic, balsamic glaze, honey drizzle, pomegranate seeds, chili oil, salsa, Chimichurri, basil, chives, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, lemon or orange zest, thinly sliced pickles, bacon crumbles, and salami.
- Tinned fish
Just a fancy way of saying canned fish, tinned fish can be used to create a seacuterie board featuring mackerel, sardines, and anchovies.
- Yuzu fruit and spicy honey
Yuzu fruit, commonly referred to as “Japanese lemon”, is becoming a popular ingredient in toppings, seasonings, and spreads. Spicy honey is also gaining traction as a staple condiment in some New York pizzerias. Expect to see these two flavors burst on the scene in 2023 in wild and imaginative ways.
- Ube
A purple yam from the Philippines, Ube has a warm, vanilla-like flavor making it a seasonal ingredient in desserts and savory entrees. Bakeries, dessert shops, and even gastropubs are experimenting with ube.
- Functional food
Gut-friendly probiotics and prebiotics are being added to fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, and pickles to deliver extra health benefits such as a mood boost and relaxation.