Food Trends
Food trends show common changes that consumers have made in the way that they purchase, prepare and store food.
Current trends show that Aussies are busy, technology loving and are more aware of the environment, as well as willing to try more cuisines. There are also many more foods available.
Spotting trends is essential to understand what consumers want and what they may want in the future.
TASK 1
1. Access at the article links
a. Outline 10 trends currently associated with consumer food choices and styles.
Multiculturalism and different cuisines
Presenting foods in a more rustic way
Better wine at a Cheaper Price
Healthier eating
Quick, frozen microwaveable meals
Casual, rather than formal dining
Organic foods
Home cooked meals
Functional Foods (e.g. Hi-Fibre, Hi-Calcium, Low Fat, Cholesterol Lowering, Vitamins and Minerals)
Flavour Fusion
Food Science
b. Give examples of any local places where you have already seen or experienced these trends. If you have not already seen the particular trend can you think of a similar trend which may have lead to the new trend.
Supermarkets - They are offering many different cuisines, cheaper alcohol, frozen microwave meals, Organic foods and functional foods. They also offer a range of fusion flavour meals, and are encouraging healthy eating. Also, especially in Woolworths, they are trying to make the fruit and veggie section seem like a rustic market place, with baskets of fruit and terracotta bowls of veggies.
Lots of chefs are now also presenting food in a rustic way, such as donna hay.
Heston Blumenthal is seen as the master of Food Science in cooking, and is well known for his egg and bacon ice-cream.
c. What are the similarities and differences between the Australian and London Trends?
The Australian and London trends are very similar, with casual dining, fusion flavours, a lot of multiculturalism especially from other European countries, cheaper wine, and healthier eating. However, London trends also involve more tailored choices in restaurants and pop-up street vendors.
Add your findings to the class blog.
2. Take some time to browse through the Food Timeline
17000BC-6000BC More grains and nuts discovered. Cattle, sheep and pigs also used.
5000BC-2000BC Lots more fruit and veggies found. Olive oil and preserved foods such as ham and liquorice. Pastries, Milk, Yoghurt, Sour Cream and Icecream
2000BC-0AD Chocolate, Vanilla, Cinnamon sugar, sausages, pepper and other herbs and spices
1st -10th Century Fried Chicken, omelettes, lobster, crab, shrimp, lemons, pretzles, coffee, nutmeg, blood as food, bread
10th-15th Century Ravioli, pie, sushi, peking duck, applesauce, jam, donuts, hot dogs, kebabs, limes.
16th-17th Century Skim milk, quiche, trifle, cake, eclairs, bagels, lemonade, meringue, croissants, french onion soup.
18th Century Ginger beer, French Fries, Tomato Sauce, cupcakes, meatballs, Mayonnaise, soda water, dried apples, cream cheese, lollipops, soufflé, pasta, pancakes.
19th Century Wedding Cake, Sheperd's Pie, Ice-cream cones, sandwich bread, corn syrup, cocoa, soft drinks, iodised salt, cornstarch, pesto, modern marshmallows, fish and chips, ice tea, cereal, baby food, margarine, milkshakes, cocacola, Heinz, Dr Pepper, pizza, malt, crackers, christmas pudding, fudge, peanut butter, jelly beans,
20th Century can tuna, Kellog's Corn Flakes, onion rings, buttercream icing, orange juice, oreos, fortune cookies, twinkies, jelly, Campbells, SPAM, Krispy Kreme, M&Ms, nutella, Pludo Pups, waffles, canned soda, smoothies, seedless watermelons, Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, TV dinners, brown rice, instant mash, high fructose corn syrup, chicken nuggets, Slurpees, Gatorade, nachos, 2 Minute Noodles, burgers.
Yes they have. There is more technology available with a better understanding of food and chemical structures to be able to create corn syrups, flavours, preservatives, MSG etc. The modernisation of our world and the technology available means that it is now much cheaper to process foods to create a better product and shelf life.
There were only a few things that really stood out to me and that was that hotdogs were created in the 14th century, which was surprising, as well as the fact that ice-cream, cheese and yoghurts were made even before that.
Current trends show that Aussies are busy, technology loving and are more aware of the environment, as well as willing to try more cuisines. There are also many more foods available.
Spotting trends is essential to understand what consumers want and what they may want in the future.
TASK 1
1. Access at the article links
a. Outline 10 trends currently associated with consumer food choices and styles.
Multiculturalism and different cuisines
Presenting foods in a more rustic way
Better wine at a Cheaper Price
Healthier eating
Quick, frozen microwaveable meals
Casual, rather than formal dining
Organic foods
Home cooked meals
Functional Foods (e.g. Hi-Fibre, Hi-Calcium, Low Fat, Cholesterol Lowering, Vitamins and Minerals)
Flavour Fusion
Food Science
b. Give examples of any local places where you have already seen or experienced these trends. If you have not already seen the particular trend can you think of a similar trend which may have lead to the new trend.
Supermarkets - They are offering many different cuisines, cheaper alcohol, frozen microwave meals, Organic foods and functional foods. They also offer a range of fusion flavour meals, and are encouraging healthy eating. Also, especially in Woolworths, they are trying to make the fruit and veggie section seem like a rustic market place, with baskets of fruit and terracotta bowls of veggies.
Lots of chefs are now also presenting food in a rustic way, such as donna hay.
Heston Blumenthal is seen as the master of Food Science in cooking, and is well known for his egg and bacon ice-cream.
c. What are the similarities and differences between the Australian and London Trends?
The Australian and London trends are very similar, with casual dining, fusion flavours, a lot of multiculturalism especially from other European countries, cheaper wine, and healthier eating. However, London trends also involve more tailored choices in restaurants and pop-up street vendors.
Add your findings to the class blog.
2. Take some time to browse through the Food Timeline
- What types of food and preparation techniques are they using in different time periods?
17000BC-6000BC More grains and nuts discovered. Cattle, sheep and pigs also used.
5000BC-2000BC Lots more fruit and veggies found. Olive oil and preserved foods such as ham and liquorice. Pastries, Milk, Yoghurt, Sour Cream and Icecream
2000BC-0AD Chocolate, Vanilla, Cinnamon sugar, sausages, pepper and other herbs and spices
1st -10th Century Fried Chicken, omelettes, lobster, crab, shrimp, lemons, pretzles, coffee, nutmeg, blood as food, bread
10th-15th Century Ravioli, pie, sushi, peking duck, applesauce, jam, donuts, hot dogs, kebabs, limes.
16th-17th Century Skim milk, quiche, trifle, cake, eclairs, bagels, lemonade, meringue, croissants, french onion soup.
18th Century Ginger beer, French Fries, Tomato Sauce, cupcakes, meatballs, Mayonnaise, soda water, dried apples, cream cheese, lollipops, soufflé, pasta, pancakes.
19th Century Wedding Cake, Sheperd's Pie, Ice-cream cones, sandwich bread, corn syrup, cocoa, soft drinks, iodised salt, cornstarch, pesto, modern marshmallows, fish and chips, ice tea, cereal, baby food, margarine, milkshakes, cocacola, Heinz, Dr Pepper, pizza, malt, crackers, christmas pudding, fudge, peanut butter, jelly beans,
20th Century can tuna, Kellog's Corn Flakes, onion rings, buttercream icing, orange juice, oreos, fortune cookies, twinkies, jelly, Campbells, SPAM, Krispy Kreme, M&Ms, nutella, Pludo Pups, waffles, canned soda, smoothies, seedless watermelons, Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, TV dinners, brown rice, instant mash, high fructose corn syrup, chicken nuggets, Slurpees, Gatorade, nachos, 2 Minute Noodles, burgers.
- How have food processing techniques accelerated in the last century compared to the previous centuries? Why would this be?
Yes they have. There is more technology available with a better understanding of food and chemical structures to be able to create corn syrups, flavours, preservatives, MSG etc. The modernisation of our world and the technology available means that it is now much cheaper to process foods to create a better product and shelf life.
- Did you find anything on the timeline that surprised you?
There were only a few things that really stood out to me and that was that hotdogs were created in the 14th century, which was surprising, as well as the fact that ice-cream, cheese and yoghurts were made even before that.