In Rewind: Tastiest Foodie Trends of 2015

2015 brought us a new Bieber album, thankfully, a new Star Wars movie, and most importantly this year brought us even more reasons to love food. New restaurants and bars were opening every week, it seems, but this year was the year for tradition. We saw a big come back from a family favorite, mac and cheese. Everyone’s favorite dish became a menu staple all over again. This year also showed us how to spice up even our most dull meals.

What other food trends  did this year bring to us?

Mac n Cheese Grilled Cheese
Mac n Cheese Grilled Cheese from the Grilled Cheese Truck

Mac and Cheese

There’s not a more beloved, comfortable dish on the planet than Mac and Cheese. Every family has their own recipe, and everyone has their own warm feelings on this delicious dish. The past year has been a huge comeback for mac and cheese, it’s no longer stuck at home on your dinner table. Restaurants are finding fun, innovative new ways to serve one of the most traditional family meals. Mac and cheese has made its comeback onto almost every menu, even at the classiest of restaurants. Add some truffle, or gouda cheese and this family staple just became a classy main course meal.

Roaming Hunger Sriracha
Year of the Food Truck – RH Sriracha

Sriracha

2015 got much hotter once every table in town had a bottle of sriracha on it. I’m not the biggest fan of hot sauce, but I must say sriracha has an actual taste, rather than just a burn. Thanks to this hot sauce, even your everyday sandwich was reinvented.

Fruit and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables

Organic vs. GMO

This has been the year of sustainability. Every major restaurant wants their patrons to know that their food is organic, locally grown, and GMO free. This is probably my favorite trend of the year, and I hope this trend becomes the norm in the food industry. It is a well known fact that GMO’s are extremely unhealthy, and the food industry will be a better place once every restaurant hops on this trend.

Southwest quinoa grilled corn salad
Southwest quinoa grilled corn salad – foodiecrush

Quinoa

Quinoa has become everyone’s favorite grain, and source of protein. This year, more than ever before, people have ditched traditional pasta for its’ healthier, and just as tasty companion- quinoa. Quinoa bowls, protein shakes, salads, and casseroles are just a few dishes made healthier by quinoa.

Buffalo Cauliflower
Buffalo cauliflower – Edible Perspective

Vegetarianism/Veganism

More and more restaurants have become veggie friendly. As we all begin to learn about the horrids of factory farming, people are vowing to take a more cruelty free stand towards food, and many restaurants are following. In almost every city there is at least one or two restaurants that will not serve any animal by-products, and trust me when I say they are making these animal alternatives so good it could make anyone change their carnivore diet.

Chicken and Waffles Creative Eats Truck
Chicken and Waffles – Creative Eats Truck

Chicken and waffles

This one is a bit personal, 2015 happens to be the year that I discovered the deliciousness that is Chicken and Waffles. I had my first taste at the world famous Roscoe’s in Los Angeles, and I have been obsessed ever since. Roscoe’s may be one of the best, and one of the original Chicken and waffles places, but many have tried to replicate the same success.

Craft Beer - Tigerrulezzz Photography
Craft Beer – Tigerrulezzz Photography

Craft Beer

This year we all started to say  goodbye to the light, cheap, and not satisfying beers and we started to embrace their heavier, tastier, companions. IPA’s, Amber Ales, Sours, and Pilsners are starting to take center stage, and I would like this trend to keeps going in 2016.

This year everything became a little cheesier, a whole lot spicier, and much healthier. Cheers to a happy, healthy, spicy, and cheesy 2016!

– Guest Contributor, Cara Meyers