For me and I'm sure many others, food was a huge part of 2020. From lockdowns to WFH situations, this year forced us to look at and even make changes to our food habits more than ever, and it led to many people unleashing their inner chefs and also ordering home deliveries much, much more.
Let's take a look at the year in food trends!
Bubble tea
Singaporeans are crazy about our bubble teas. Remember how devastated we were when news came out that bubble tea shops had to close for the circuit breaker, and how many of us made a mad rush to get one last cup before they had to shutter? Some of us even learnt how to make our own bubble tea pearls at home!
Dalgona coffee
This whipped coffee trend took the world by storm over the earlier part of the year. The trend saw many of us trying to make our very own Korean whipped coffee at home with instant coffee, sugar, and hot water. Some of us also got a pretty good workout by hand beating the mixture until it got all light and frothy!
Banana bread
Home baking became one of the most popular activities during the lockdown. And if we have to pick one recipe that's topped the chart it has to be banana bread. It's simple to make, quick, delicious and easily customizable according to tastes and preferences. Chocolate chips? Yes please! Nuts? Sure! Raisins? Why not?
Sourdough
Some breads are much more time-consuming to make – such as the sourdough bread, which can take up to three days! But if there’s anything the circuit breaker has given us, it is the gift of time. And what better way to make use of that time than to try out from-scratch and chemical-free sourdough baking?
Home-based bakeries
For some of us, baking will probably never be our thing, but devouring baked goods is a different thing. This year, the city’s rise of home-based bakeries grew exponentially. Be it fudgy brownies, sea salt cookies, fruit tarts or madeleines and financiers, there's a home baker that's happy to make it and then deliver it!
Basque burnt cheesecake
You’ve probably seen pictures of the creamy, gooey cheesecake with a beautifully burnt top on your social media feeds. While the burnt cheesecake isn't a new creation, it gained traction here during the circuit breaker period, and numerous establishments and home bakers have jumped on the bandwagon to put this trendy food item on their menus.
Plant-based meat
As people grow to be more conscious about what we're eating and putting into our bodies, we're also seeing more experimentation with plant-based foods such as Impossible Meat. Last month, the product also became available for home cooks to purchase in FairPrice and RedMart, and OmniMeat also released a plant-based luncheon meat.
Traditional kueh
This year also saw more interest in our traditional and heritage foods. Events such as the Kueh Kueh Symposium saw big turnouts, and brands selling traditional kuehs have also been attracting lots of customers this year!
Here's our list of 2020 food trends! What other food trends did you catch onto this year? Share and let us know!