As pubs and restaurants gear up for another busy year in the food market, what new ingredients or stand out trends can you expect to see in 2018?

Food trends expert at Musgrave MarketPlace, Dr Deirdre Moriarty has put together a list of the five key trends and ingredients we can expect to see coming in 2018. 

1. The Comeback Carb

The last number of years have been dominated by protein packed eating, but carbs are the comeback kid of 2018. Having fallen out of favour thanks to diets such as Atkins and Paleo, next year pasta and breads will be making a return to our plates. We can expect to see more restaurants experimenting with bread flavours as artisanal breads become a more popular option.

2. Waste not, want not. The rise of root to tip cooking.

Food waste and sustainability was a hot topic in 2017 and it’s set to continue in to next year as chefs look at ways to reduce waste. Root to tip cooking is the practice of using every part of the vegetable and is actually an old trend which has become popular again. Historically, all parts of the vegetable were used and 2018 will see this style of cooking come back in vogue. Leftover carrot tops can be made in to pesto, leek tops and the outer leaves of romaine lettuce can be used to create stocks and soups, while leftover broccoli stalks can be added to salads.

3. Flower Power

Next year is set to be a floral affair as chefs, baristas and mixologists ‘say it with flowers’.  Whether it’s adding whole flowers and petals to dishes, or infusing the likes of elderflower into cocktails, there will be no escaping this trend. It’s not just chefs and mixologists embracing flowers, coffee will also have a floral tribute so expect to see lavender lattes making their way on to your local coffee shop menu.

4. Turn to the dark side

Say goodbye to rainbows and unicorn themed food, and be prepared to embrace the dark side in 2018 thanks to activated charcoal. A bi-product of burning coconut shells, wood, or other plant materials, it is safe to eat and is responsible for giving food its dark colour.  It’s being used in everything from ice cream cones to hamburgers and this eye-catching trend has been popping up on Instagram over the last number of months.

5. Breakfast anytime

Over the last number of years, brunch as a meal occasion has been embraced with gusto in the Irish market with high end and causal eateries alike offering brunch menus. Next year the breakfast trend will continue but as an eating occasion and we can expect to see breakfast extend in to the evening time as restaurants begin to offer this option as an all-day item on the menu. Chefs will also experiment with breakfast options as they take influence from breakfast foods from around the world.

To view more top tips from Musgraves Marketplace click HERE