A Look at Food Trends

Food and Social Consciousness 

In the United Kingdom, commercials for snacks such as sugary breakfast cereal and potato chips have been recently banned from children's television programmes. This follows a campaign by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver in introducing more nutritious meals into schools.

In the United States, more state legislatures are taking action in banning soft drink and candy vending machines from public schools.  Hit movies such as Super Size Me  are also creating a change in food consciousness in the States.

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Fast food restaurants are not the only source of "fast food."  Because most people are extremely busy with work and driving kids around, it is tempting to pop a packaged meal into the microwave at the end of a long day.  Microwaved food is not necessarily good (you should read some of the effects about microwaving and what it does to you) and by constantly throwing premade meals in the microwave, parents are not teaching their children healthy cooking skills.  Consequently, the next generation may not be sure how to prepare fresh vegetables...and may not even realize the nutritional and taste value that they have.

As the developing economies in Asia grow, more women are going out to work and their traditional shopping and cooking habits are changing. Many are going to supermarkets instead of to their local market stalls. It's already been reported that Japanese children are becoming overweight. In Western Europe, food trends are changing, too. We all think of French and Italian families enjoying a leisurely meal cooked with fresh, local produce. They still do, but there are growing food trends toward processed food and ready meals, as people try to fit in work commitments with life at home.

Food Trends Are Moving Toward "Slow Foods" and Organics

Organic food has become  popular over the last few years and it is more easily available than ten or twenty years ago. It's still more expensive than conventionally produced food, however, and lower income people tend to eat the cheaper pre-packaged foods or, if they are inclined to each fresh food, they will buy the cheaper, mass produced fruits and vegetables.

There is a blossoming movement now called the "Slow Food Movement."  The purpose of this food trend is  to persuade us to slow down and smell the aroma, so to speak. Instead of speeding the process up, as with most food trends, the idea is to cook slowly and keep the flavor and goodness in. Rather than microwaving, slowly casserole or stew over a low heat. The aroma alone will be worth it. It's a throwback to our grandparents' time and one of the better food trends to emerge for some time.

"A Look at Food Trends" contributed by Urbain Beck