2020 Food Trends Roundup

It’s so fun as one year (or decade!) ends and another begins to look at predictions for what we will see in the future. This includes 2020 vision of past years to see the path that led us to where we are now.

I won’t give away my upcoming presentation, but I will share the “big picture”, including that my perch is a mashup of agriculture, food, health, and well-being. These are not separate conversations or topics, even though they are often still collectively treated as such.

Bottom line: Farm to Table to Farm is where it’s at. My optimistic read of the writing on the wall is that there will be an effort in clarifying details to help people better connect with their food. Things like defining “sustainability“, for example. The use of words without universal agreement on what they mean gets us nowhere, so this is a refreshing moment. What would be even better is if we had a simple, globally relevant, explanation that honors the synergy between different types of agriculture, people, and across the food supply chain.

My suggestion to define  “sustainability”: successfully navigating the health of people, planet, and profit for positive outcomes for all, and not at the expense of any.

There is an interest in moving beyond the “status quo” on farm, at the table, and in managing wasted food. People want to improve things, not just manage the current situation, whether it’s an individual and health goals, working on soil health, or being better at not wasting so much. Abundance and affordability is not a path to food waste or daily overindulgence, and the clues for the future is that “everyone” is working on this.

More happy news? However someone wants to eat, whatever food/beverage we choose, farmers around the world are growing/raising food where it makes sense to do so, to meet these requests and desires.

People are also starting to understand that a “balanced diet” doesn’t actually refer to a “diet” at all. Instead, we take into consideration all the reasons people eat what they do and figure out a plan that works over a period of time versus demonizing one food, one meal, or one nutrient.

Health and well-being is an ever evolving subject that looks very different, even for the same person, depending on what else is going on in that person’s life in any given moment.

Related and the last big idea for now – there is an interest in considering what our food choices actually do for us. From impacting sleep to supporting fitness regimes to thinking clearly. Now is the time to talk about how our lifestyle choices impact our quality of life.

If this doesn’t excite you as it does me, call me and we can talk about what it means for you personally and professionally. It’s going to be good.