Local food predictions for 2015

A new year always brings a fresh set of trend predictions, and in food there are plenty of big stories. While there’s a definite trend for cutting down (on sugar, meat and gluten), there’s some good news for those craving a little indulgence, in the shape of a new focus on breakfast and home-grown wines, spirits and liqueurs.

Breakfast
We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but 2015 will see it take on lunch and dinner as our favourite dining out experience. Breakfast Week will take place from January 25th to 31st, encouraging us to think about where our breakfast food comes from and support domestic cereal farmers. And we’re not just talking about bread and cornflakes – 40 percent of the more than 20 million tonnes of cereals produced in the UK each year feeds chickens, pigs and cows.

Try breakfast at The Jolly Farmers in Betchworth, Surrey or The Hungry Guest cafe in Petworth, West Sussex.

Gluten-Free
Alternative grains will also be big news, and while Middle Eastern freekeh is set to topple South American quinoa as the supergrain of choice, closer to home you can find Flax Farm linseed which has its own impressive list of health benefits and can be made into gluten-free bread, crackers and even flapjacks. The gluten-free movement is also responsible for a rediscovered love of cauliflower, which is being used to replace everything from rice to pizza bases, and celeriac puree is the new mashed potato.

Flax Farm provides linseed oil and ground linseed plus a treasure trove of recipes.

Fresh Meat
The search for alternatives doesn’t end there: unusual meats are expected to be popular, with goat and lesser-known cuts of beef making a comeback alongside mutton and game. Although cooking with these meats may seem daunting, suppliers are always full of helpful advice and recipe ideas. Even the Prince of Wales is getting behind the campaign to bring back long-forgotten mutton as patron of the Mutton Renaissance Club, so you’re in good company.

Shabden Park Farm and Butchers Hall can provide rare breed meats and mutton.

Bone Broth
For those looking for even more unusual ways to use local meat, you could try the latest craze to sweep the states, bone broth. Nutrient-rich, inexpensive and with a list of potential benefits ranging from shinier hair to reduced joint pain, it’s no wonder bone broth is being touted as a superfood. While some New Yorkers are queuing around the block for it, it’s easy enough to make at home with the leftovers from your Sunday roast – so what are you waiting for?

Search for your local butcher.

Meat-Free
There’s also a growing trend to go meat-free – at least some of the time. The UK’s first Meat-Free Week will run from March 23rd to 29th and Jamie Oliver is backing the campaign to cut consumption and encourage us to think about the welfare and environmental impact of our meat. In the US, many households already embrace the idea of Meat-Free Monday, and it looks like this is another idea we’re set to inherit from our American cousins.

Search for greengrocers in your area.

Sugar-Free
Watch out for sugar-free becoming a major watchword, too: with plenty of research casting refined sugar as the villain in our modern diets, honey, stevia, coconut sugar and fruit purees are all tipped to be popular substitutes. With plenty of recipes for sugar-free cakes and biscuits out there, it’s a good time to jump on the bandwagon and kick the habit.

Drink British
Following on from the boom in micro-breweries and British craft ales of the last couple of years, 2015 will see our interest in home-grown wines, spirits and liqueurs grow. With England producing some of the finest sparkling wines in the world it’s not hard to see why – three Sussex sparklers were awarded the prestigious IWC gold medal in 2014. Infinite varieties of small-batch gin and British vodkas are finding their way into our drinks cabinets, too, and sherry and vermouth are shaking off their retro image.

Search for a local winery or drink producer near you.

Artisan brands
As we become more and more fed up with supermarkets and mass-produced food scandals, we’re turning to artisan brands that we perceive as being more honest and trustworthy. From the local bakery to the independent coffee shop via the farmer’s market, we’re turning our backs on the superstores and their space-age displays of vegetables shrouded in wet mist - at the market, that's just called rain.

Technology
The marriage of food and technology is moving beyond Instagram pictures of your dinner. In 2015 we’ll be paying for meals out on our smartphones and using apps to plan our weekly meals and keep track of what we’ve got in the cupboards. The web is also making it easier for us to find our local farm shops, markets and other local food businesses, work out what’s in season and how to cook it. In other words, Local Food Britain is the future ...