Since it has been a few months since we started 2017, we decided to make some predictions of what food trends will be dominating your Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat and Instagram feeds for the next twelve months.

Troll Food

After the pastel overload that unicorn- and mermaid-themed desserts and drinks brought us, the food world is firing back with charcoal infused, black-dyed dark versions. Some call it troll-themed —  likely from the “trolls” who made similarly colored, inedible versions of these over-the-top foods. To follow this trend, check out the Black Coconut Ash ice cream at Morgenstern’s.

Unhealthy Bowls

Colorful smoothie bowls and protein-packed grain bowls dominated the fitness-obsessed threads, but we think this year will see a rise in classic comfort foods filling trendy bowls — watch for cheesy fried chicken bowls and loaded pizza bowls headed your way. An irresistible mac and cheese bowl already on the market is Macbar’s Margarita Mac with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, parmigiano and fresh basil. It’s a classic with a twist.

Authentic Street Foods

Street foods are a great option, but we think authentic will finally become trendy this year with the abundance of international food carts lining the city streets. Whether it be savory hand pies, gyros, empanadas, kebabs, samosas, dumplings, pupusas, tacos, döners or croissants, they will serve as on-the-go meals that are authentic to their origin. Try the dosas — South Indian crepe — that the Dosa Man, Thiru Kumar sells at his food cart on the southwest corner of Washington Square Park.

Sugar-Substitutes

Although the American Heart Association recommends that one only consumes 9.5 teaspoons of sugar a day, the average adult eats 22 teaspoons a day. Because of this, stevia-sweetened foods and other natural sweeteners will likely continue rising in their popularity. Hu’s Kitchen has the ultimate healthy, dairy-free sundaes with homemade chia pudding, taro pudding and cashew cream. 

Spices

Golden lattes are everywhere — from social media to in your classmate’s hand. They are made with turmeric powder powder, which is known for its anti-inflammatory health benefits. You can sample this turmeric-filled latte at Bluestone Lane. But turmeric isn’t the only flavor taking the spice-light — cayenne, cumin, cardamom, allspice, cloves, cinnamon and curry will also become more widely used in 2017 with a rise in strong flavors and authentic international foods.

Fake Noodles

Fake noodles or “zoodles” are spiraled, thin noodle-shaped vegetables like squash or zucchini. This noodle twist gives both the health-obsessed and the gluten-free a chance to eat pasta. You can find a poke bowl with zucchini noodles at Pokéstop.

Be on the lookout for these upcoming food trends and hopefully they will start appearing on food blogs, in restaurants and all over social media!

Email Drew Lederman at [email protected].