As we look to move beyond Covid-induced comfort food cravings, this is the future of food and what you will be eating this year
After two years where Covid has affected the way we eat, the way we smell, and - of course - how we go out for dinner, the food world is ready to look to the future and is hungry for inspiration.
Over the course of the pandemic thus far, more vanilla-flavoured foods and vanilla-scented candles have been sold than ever before. So often used as a shorthand for bland monotony, the flavour is also clearly comforting during difficult times. Going back to our roots and eating traditional husmanskost (home-cooked food) while we've been stuck indoors has been understandable, but it's becoming clear that people don’t want to eat like the world is ending any more.
Historically, humans have always made the biggest changes to their diets after a crisis and this moment seems unlikely to be any different. But what will that look like? Here are three major trends that will influence Scandinavian dining in the year ahead.
Citrus will be booming
After a long period of indulgence, people are searching for healthy alternatives once again, while also being keen to boost their immune systems. According to sommelier and senior lecturer in meal science at Örebro University Mischa Billing, citrus fruits, which are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, are set to burst onto the scene and have a moment. Pomelos, grapes and finger limes - citrus fruits not often seen in Scandinavia - will likely appear on the market, while kombucha, kale and natural wines will continue to rise in popularity.
Related: A guide to Scandinavian superberries
Home chefs will step up
We have all been cooking at home a lot more the past couple of years and because of this we have learned a lot more about produce itself. Going forward, we should all be more self-assured when it comes to buying and using food more creatively than before. Taking the time to learn about an item's ingredients and origins should also encourage us to buy more climate-friendly food and to use it more economically, not just using one part of a vegetable or a fish, for example, and discarding the rest. ”The Greta effect” has hit us hard and people are not just concerned about eating well for their health, they also want to do good for the climate. So next time you’re in the store, buy an ingredient that is in season for example a carrot or potato and create one dish by cooking it in three different ways — resulting in a 'variation of carrot'. Then you’re really following the trends.
The heat is on for restaurants
A key development this year will of course be that people are now free to go out to restaurants again. After an extremely difficult time for the restaurant industry, bricks and mortar establishments are more than ready to welcome back diners, but when they do they'll be under pressure to stand out and be innovative. The increase in the general populace's food knowledge plus the increase in options for dining at home will mean eating out will need to be even more special than it once was.
Thankfully, we happen to be in one of the best regions in the world in this regard. In Scandinavia we are blessed with some of the most creative chefs and restaurants in the world. The two-starred Michelin restaurant Alchemist in Copenhagen for example offers more than a dinner, they invite you to an experience with a 50-course meal, divided into five acts and enjoyed in various locations.
Sofia Henriksson is a Swedish chef, cookbook author and journalist. She was also the winner of Sweden's Masterchef in 2020.