2019 is the year of vegan dude food, feasts from the East and savoury puddings. Our food team explains more...

1. Vegan dude food

So-called vegan junk food is growing fast – think barbecue pulled jackfruit (tastes like pulled pork, honest), stacked beetroot burgers and oozing macaroni made with vegan cheese – who needs meat?

2. Back to the 1970s

Enjoying the Love Story fashion on the catwalks this season? Then you’ll love revisiting some of the classic 1970s dishes coming to a table near you. Think chicken Kiev, prawn cocktail, Arctic roll, and Black Forest gateau – food that’s sometimes floppy, often flabby, but always a lot of fun.

3. Anicent grains

Archaeologists might be digging up ruins all over the place, but foodies in the know are also rediscovering grains from centuries past, such as spelt and kamut. They’ve got a nutty flavour, are bursting with nutrition, and are said to be easier for people with gluten intolerances to handle, too.

4. Vinegar in Vogue

It’s no longer just for fish and chips – vinegar has now become a health trend. Celebs swear by taking a shot every morning, you can buy special drinking vinegars in Sainsbury’s, and there are new books out next year dedicated to brewing and flavouring your own. Who needs a green juice?

5. Health by stealth 

Manufacturers are adding goodies to all kinds of products – water with protein, or mushrooms with added vitamin D, anyone?

6. Puffed and popped snacks

Healthier ‘puffed’ snacks such as posh popcorn, puffed lentils or popped peas are giving the poor old crisp a run for its money. They’re certainly tastier than boring old carrot sticks. 

7. Posh pops

Fizzy drinks have gawn posh! Upmarket pops such as London’s Dalston Cola and Cawston Press sparkling apple and rhubarb are finding their way into all the smart shopping bags.

8. Butter up

Posh butter is appearing everywhere, often with gourmet flavourings – our food writers, always out and about at the latest restaurants (it’s a hard job), have reported trying date butter, seaweed butter and even chicken-flavoured butter.

9. Feasts from the East

We all love a chicken korma or Thai green curry, but the movers and shakers of the culinary world are now experimenting with exciting new flavours from less- familiar Asian destinations such as Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. At Sainsbury’s, you’ll notice the deliciously fluffy Taiwanese buns known as bao nestling along the sandwiches in the chiller aisle while Sri Lankan restaurant Hoppers has become a huge hit in London.

10. Be-leaf it

Chefs are using leaves in more dishes – recently spotted: chocolate bay leaf cake, and fig leaf and sherry ice cream.

11. Savoury puds

The earliest British 'puddings' were actually savoury - meat cooked with spices and fruit - and many chefs are putting more savoury twists on dessert on the menu. Our spies have noticed savoury doughnuts and even blue cheese ‘cheesecakes’. We reckon we might stick to the sticky toffee pudding, if you don’t mind...

12. Old beans

Heritage and unusual pulses, such as Brighstone beans and carlin peas, have been rediscovered. They’re rich in nutrients, full of fibre and an easy way to stay fuller for longer.