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Food trends

This article was originally published in March 2012

The consumer research firm, The Hartman Group, based in Bellevue, released findings on recent “food culture
trends.” Some key findings are:

  • Consumers increasingly are looking for non-GMO claims on packages.
  • More than 80 percent of consumers say they’ve been very careful about what they spend on food during the
    recession but still seek out fresh, quality, sustainable ingredients.
  • Snacking accounts for nearly half of all eating — and adults snack just as often as kids.
  • Chickpeas and mayonnaise were among the fastest growing ingredient searches, while scallops and phyllo
    were among the fastest declining.
  • More than one-third of home cooks report eating less meat compared with the year before. The top reasons
    cited are the desire to eat healthier, to enjoy meatless dishes, cost savings, and environmental concerns.
  • Trending in:
    Less processed, more whole foods
    Real butter
    Grass-fed meat and dairy
    Coconut oil
    Palm sugar
    Farro
    Cheaper (whole-animal) butcher cuts
    Kefir
    Local superfruits (blueberries, cherries)
    Herbs and botanical ingredients (dandelion, licorice root, etc.)
    Greens from land and sea (kale, seaweed)
    Cold-brewed coffee
  • Trending out:
    Low-fat diets
    Margarine
    Processed soy protein
    Canola oil
    Agave
    Brown rice
    “Naturally raised” meat
    Yogurt with added sugar
    Exotic “superfruits”
    Very sweet beverages

Also in this issue

News bites, March 2012

Fair labor certified farms, GMO bourbon, Non-GMO sales growing fast, and more

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Washington state bills to label GE foods

The bills SB 6298 and HB 2637 failed to move out of the Senate and House agriculture committees in late January, but the show of support seemed to surprise lawmakers. There were overflow crowds at the hearings and legislative aides say the number of people commenting was second only to support for same-sex marriage. Democratic aides say every single individual who called or emailed supported labeling. None were opposed.

Read On

Hungry Planet - What the World Eats

Imagine your family collected every food and drink it consumes in a typical week — every carrot, every grain of quinoa, every coffee bean, every PCC take-and-bake pizza — and you took a snapshot of it all piled up in your kitchen. What would the photo show? That’s the question you may ask yourself after visiting the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture’s exhibit, “Hungry Planet: What the World Eats,” which runs through June 10 and is sponsored by PCC.

Read On