Food plays such an important role in our everyday lives. Over the years it has evolved from a survival tool to a hobby, a lifestyle choice and food can even define a part of someone’s identity. The world of food is constantly evolving and the following are some of the top lifestyle food trends that are shaping up to become very popular in the latter half of 2021.
Delivery Alternatives
Some people stocked up their pantries when going to a grocery store became harder, while others became regular users of Uber Eats. While this is not necessarily the best choice in terms of helping our environmental, especially in places where the delivery guys and girls drive cars, there are other options too. Getting food like a snack box delivered on a monthly basis means that you can keep costs down and experiment with your food, which is great. With most monthly delivery companies being able to provide snacks and meals from all over the world, you really get to taste different options and explore your palette.
Pantry Meals
When access to food became scarce as a result of people panic buying food in loads earlier this year, many people took the opportunity to use what they had stored in their pantries. Essential pantry items include beans, canned soups, jarred food, grains, pasta and baking supplies. It might take some creativity to come up with new dishes and work in some flavors but pantry meals can be really delicious and easy to make. Some of our favorites include mac and cheese and vegetable soup. It’s a good idea to replace what you use just in case you’re faced with another situation where food becomes scarce.
Mental Health Cooking
There are a number of different ways that the food you eat can inspire and promote positive mental health and, with the increasingly mindful approach people are taking to their mental health, this may be something worth exploring for yourself. Various combinations of vitamins and minerals have been shown to do everything from boost your mood to help you through problems like depression. If you or someone you are close to are experiencing problems in those areas, while a lovely fruit salad might be a great way to help them feel supported, make sure to get a professional therapist involved if a situation is serious enough to warrant it.
Flexitarian Diets
While vegetarianism, pescatarian and vegan lifestyles have excellent advantages with regards to environmental and health concerns, not everyone can commit to strict diets all of the time. This has led to the formation of a new way of eating – a flexitarian diet. A flexitarian is someone who mostly eats plant-based foods such as legumes, beans and whole grains without giving up meat fully. They like to be flexible and will eat some animal products from time to time. They also like to limit sugar and caffeine and will avoid heavily processed foods when possible. Being a flexitarian sounds like an ideal option as you get the best of both worlds.
