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Food Trends for 2010 by Carol Fenster

by info@gfreecuisine.com 1. March 2010 09:07
Late last year, an article by Janet Helms, a terrific food writer at the Chicago Tribune caught my eye. It was a summary of key trends for 2010. I have summarized these trends below, but pay particular attention to Trend #4, which fits right in with our gluten-free diet.
[1] Fresh. Pumped-up foods fortified with various health-enhancing ingredients may be falling out of favor. The new ideal is fresh, less processed, real and authentic. Anything artificial will continue to be challenged.

[2] Simplicity. The year will be defined by the concept of less is more... including less packaging, shorter ingredient lists, and more understandable ingredient terms.

[3] Low carbon. Expect to see more green restaurants and eco-labeling on foods, including carbon footprint, water footprint, food miles, biodegradable packaging, fair trade, “local” dining.

[4] Food is the new insurance. With concerns about health care likely to remain, people will intensify their efforts to stay well. Increasingly this will mean looking to food as a solution to "live long and strong". Claims will focus on brain health, immunity, heart disease, arthritis, eye health and the ability to "detox." (Carol’s note: Gluten-free folks have always known food is medicine, it’s our insurance for staying healthy.)  

[5] Meat-free. Meat will be increasingly viewed as optional as more people opt for plant-based plates dominated by whole grains, beans, nuts and vegetables. (Carol’s note: Due to our subscribers' requests, 3 of each 10 weekly menus offered at www.GfreeCuisine.com are vegetarian.)

[6] Dining in. We will continue to reduce our reliance on restaurants in 2010 and eat more meals at home. But food preparation has changed with "warming and heating" now the method of choice. Expect a resurgence of the microwave oven and more products specifically designed for microwave cooking...plus more respect for frozen foods, including steam-in-the bag meals and claims related to freshness locked in. (Carol’s note: Gluten-free folks still prepare more of our meals at home from scratch, by necessity. Home-cooked meals have less fat, fewer calories, and less sodium and that’s a good thing.)

 [7] Sodium is the new trans fat. Expect to see more companies announce sodium reductions, although the cuts will likely be gradual so consumer taste buds can adjust. Taste still rules, and shoppers are not willing to sacrifice.

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About the Authors

Ann Bender & Karen Hutcherson
Marketers by profession, both Ann and Karen have a fondness for good food and healthy cooking. They understand the importance of the nightly family dinner and developed Relish! a premier menu-planning service (relishrelish.com). Relish! received hundreds of requests to offer the same type of service but to make it gluten-free. Because of the complexity of the product, they solicited the help of gluten-free cooking expert, Carol Fenster, to provide all of the recipes and many of her famous bread and dessert recipes!