As 2022 comes to an end, we’re taking a look back at the Top 10 Best and Bottom 10 Worst food trends of the year. From the Air Fryer takeover and Nashville Hot Chicken trends to questionable pairings and hackneyed food hacks, these listmakers are taking us on a journey.
Top 10 Best
- The Air Fryer: The humble air fryer has been around home kitchens since 2010 but this year, air fryers have exponentially grown in popularity. Sales of these indispensable gadgets have increased by 76% over the last two years. Whether baking, broiling, crisping, or reheating, the air fryer is a big winner in our cookbook. With nearly 3,000 air fryer recipes in our collection, there’s a dish waiting to be your next favorite.
- Turmeric: Turmeric, a member of the ginger family, is a spice that has taken 2022 by storm. This spice’s active ingredient, curcumin, has anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants meaning it lessens inflammation and improves memory, so make yourself a Zanzibar shake, made with fresh pineapple and banana, ginger, and coconut water. Or make a batch of Turmeric, Lemon, and Ginger Energy Balls, a healthy grab-n-go snack that will carry you through the day.
- Food at Your Fingertips: Who hasn’t relied on a food delivery app to shuttle your favorite latte, box of doughnuts, fancy dinner, and another latte? Guilty as charged. But what if you could make your favorite treat right in your own kitchen and in less time than it takes to wait for your delivery. Perhaps you’d enjoy a Caramel Frappuccino or a Homemade Egg McMuffin as you head out to start your day.
- Meal Kits: Life is stressful enough and then we’re expected to also plan, purchase, and prepare three meals a day, every day. That’s why meal kits are a booming business. They take the stress out, removing the planning and letting you enjoy the preparation. One of the more popular dishes featured is Crispy Parmesan Chicken with Garlic Herb Couscous & Lemony Roasted Carrots and you can make it for yourself by following this recipe. Or join one of the many excellent meal kit services and let this one come to you.
- Charcuterie Boards: You can’t open your favorite social media app without seeing a beautifully crafted charcuterie board showcasing cheeses, meats, nuts, sauces, and more. Charcuterie boards are an easy-to-make treat for your guests’ tastebuds and eyes. Intimidated? Don’t be. Check out this easy to follow charcuterie board how-do.
- Nashville Hot Chicken: Everywhere you turn, from fine dining to food truck, Nashville Hot Chicken is on everyone’s lips. Calling this chicken spicy is an understatement with both cayenne and hot sauce being major players in the recipe. You can make this popular dish at home in just 45 minutes following this recipe.
- Cakes That Look Like Not-Cakes: You’re scrolling through TikTok and suddenly see someone easily slicing a shiny bowling ball with a cake knife and you ask yourself, “Is it cake?” It is! Bakers that create cakes that look like anything other than cake, from telephones and trophies to tacos and toilet paper. They’re stunning. They’re mind-boggling. And they’re extremely difficult to do without years of training and practice. But if you just want some cake and don’t care if it isn’t made to look like a pair of rollerskates, then maybe this Quick White Banana Bundt Cake or a Quick Italian Cream Cake will do the trick.
- Cloud Bread: Cloud bread has swiftly taken over social media as the favorite fluffy low-carb find of 2022. Made with only four ingredients – eggs, cream cheese, sweetener, and cream of tartar – you’ll be floating on air when you make this recipe yourself.
- Pasta Chips: Don’t put your air fryer away just yet. You can make this delicious snack by taking cooked pasta, seasoned with your favorite flavorings and a touch of oil, and air frying the batch until it’s a tasty treat you won’t be able to stop enjoying.
- Marry Me Chicken: There were tons of exciting recipes for this must-have chicken dinner circulating the internet. Whoever you invite to dinner will be saying “I do!” to this delectable and creamy dish. Try it out for yourself and become the social star of your foodie group.
Bottom 10 Worst
- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Made in the Toaster: A lifehack showing how to use your pop-up toaster as a de facto panini press has been circulating the web this year. Your pop-up toaster isn’t designed for this and you’re more likely to cause a mess, or potentially a fire, if you try to grill your sandwich inside. Instead, stick with the tried and true instructions like this Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
- Salad in Mason Jars: They’re cute and trendy but trying to actually eat a salad out of a mason jar is tough. Instead, try this Easy Pack and Go Salad.
- Challenge Burgers: Seems every burger joint has a challenge burger that’s a foot tall, or taller, and eating the whole thing wins you local fame. But these are some of the messiest and over-indulgent burgers you’ll ever face. Scale back with this Cheeseburger of Champions instead.
- Mile-High Bloody Marys: They look so enjoyable but like the challenge burgers, Bloody Marys that are piled high with outrageous additions like whole pieces of pizza, chickens, and more. Nearly impossible to actually enjoy, these towers of (albeit tasty) terror can step aside and allow the more reasonable Bloody Marys to flow. And reasonable doesn’t mean unfun! Take this Bacon Bloody Mary for example. Same delicious flavor and still has the fun of bacon as a topping!
- Butter Coffee: Some swear by this trend of dropping a dollop of butter in your morning coffee but we just can’t swallow it. Those that swear by this high-fat, high-calorie drink say it provides sustained energy for working out and helps improve concentration. We recommend something a little less buttery and a little sweeter, like this Homemade Pumpkin Chai Latte.
- Energy Drinks: There’s very little in the way of “healthy” when it comes to mass-produced energy drinks. Full of sugars and other activators, these drinks may be a quick fix but the crash comes hard. Instead, try a homemade energy drink like this orange-vanilla Super Energy Drink that uses coconut water as its base.
- Washing Raw Chicken: Let’s nip this one right in the bud. Washing raw chicken has a high risk of splashing pathogens, like Salmonella, all around your kitchen which can cause a lot of health problems. Leave the washing to your hands and stick to traditional preparation, like this Weeknight Chicken in a Pot.
- Flaming Hot Cheetos Everything: Whether it's mac and cheese, french fries, or even meatloaf, Flaming Hot Cheetos appear to be on everything this year. We love a spicy snack but Flaming Hot Cheetos on everything is a lot. Instead, make your own Sriracha salt by following this recipe.
- Nacho Tables: Nothing says indulgence like a table piled high with nachos. Like a crawdad boil, these free-for-alls tend to be unhealthy situations as unsanitary hands clamor over the food. Save your guests, and yourself, a case of the sniffles by preparing a Nacho Bake that can be served individually to each dinner guest.
- Donut Cereal: Individually, donuts and cereal are great. Who doesn’t enjoy a sweet treat in the morning? But donut cereal, which trended heavily on TikTok this year, is a herculean effort in breakfast-making requiring the baking of donuts before even considering tossing them in a bowl full of milk. Might we recommend these Mini Donuts Muffins instead? Grab and go these bite-sized breakfast beauties as you head out the door for your day!
What are some of your Top and Bottom Food Trends of the year? Share your successes, and failures, with us!