Every year brings its own plethora of food trends that consumers can’t seem to get enough of, and 2018 is no exception. Here are the trends that everyone will be lining up for this year.

Croissants with Delicious Fillings

Laminated dough, the dough used to make pastries such as croissants will become a staple for bakeries in 2018. New fillings, such as cake frosting and ice cream will keep customers coming back for more.

ice cream croissants

This trend isn’t completely new. NYC-based restaurant Union Fare burst onto the food scene last year when they started selling a birthday cake croissant stuffed with a creamy, Funfetti-flavored filling. Their other croissant flavors include matcha and red velvet.    

Traditional Bread

Ancient grains are making a comeback in a huge way. Specifically, as ingredients in cereals, snacks, noodles, breads, and other bakery products. 2.5% of new products launched from 2016 to 2017 featured ancient grains, a significant jump from the 0.05% of products that featured the grains in 2007. Examples of ancient grains include spelt, amaranth, kamut, and lupin.

Unless you’ve got Celiac disease, consider your search for the best gluten-free loaf ceased. The traditional side of bakery has also been elevated. Bakers are using local grains, milling the day before baking, and incorporating long proofing times, re-inventing what good bread means.

Savory Sweets

Savory desserts have been taking hold for a while but this trend shows no sign of slowing. They will continue to dominate menus in 2018 as more and more chefs look to incorporate new ingredients into their dessert offerings. Cauliflower will invade your chocolate mousse, bread in your ice cream, yeast sprinkled like sugar – get ready!

Mindfulness

The new 2018 food world definition of mindfulness, which is described as simply “the quality or state of being conscious or aware”, is a huge step forward for the food industry and for consumers. Mindfulness reflects a new consumer attitude, one that truly understands everything possible about a particular food or beverage and then supporting that company. Whether it be a brand or a retailer, customers align with its values and support it with purchases. Consumers are looking for transparency with ingredients, and companies they can stand behind.

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