Consumers have realised the importance of wellness and even more so that this is a combination of not just physical and mental factors but also includes eating well. In the age of hyper-connectivity and a hybrid world, people focus on nutrition to keep them going. This also explains the rise in immunity-boosting ingredients, interest in traditional foods, and more.

The Godrej Foods Trends Report 2022 – Collector’s Edition predicts these trends that will dominate the food industry in the coming year based on the contributions of 200+ chefs and culinary experts from all over India. According to the insights provided by these experts across the industry and home kitchens, 2022 will be the year of food for wellness, a mind-set that will prevail in the years to come.

Several experts have predicted that with 2022 ushering in the focus on food for wellness, there will be a deeper exploration of traditional ingredients, cooking practices and personally optimised diets.

Key findings relating to food for wellness

• Personally optimised diets - 55.4% of the panel predicted that more focus will be on personally optimised diets
• Protein in meals - 44.6% of the panel believes that people will prioritise protein in meal planning
• Going local- 29.2% panelists have found that people have started paying increased attention to local, seasonal and native ingredients and 55.4% predict a rise in local and seasonal ingredients sourcing
• Organic ingredients- According to 70.8%, people are now buying from local farmers and food producers
• Lifestyle-based menus- 46.2% of the panel members say that people are following a specific lifestyle-based diet menu
• Immunity boosting menus -  44.6% of the panel predicts an increased emphasis on health and immunity-boosting ingredients in menus while 38.1% predicts an increase in demand for immunity and functional health-boosting beverages will increase
• Plant-based menus - 40% expect rise in demand for plant-forward menus

Sharing his thoughts on food for wellness with us, Chef Ajay Chopra, Celebrity Chef and F&B Consultant, says, “Chefs have started incorporating the mindful things that we already practice at home, like using seasonal, nutritional and traditional ingredients and techniques, into their menus, but with a nouveau twist. We have realised that eating healthy is not just a fad but a requirement - it’s the only way to build our body’s strength. So menus are going to be more rooted in reality, rethinking how we work with ingredients, and dishes we love so that they are healthier. We will see the use of traditional ingredients in new and creative ways. For example, millets in different formats, fresher ingredients like tender coconut and fruits in interesting avatars like smoothie bowls or winter special dishes like a sarson ka saag, turned into  mustard green and barley salad.”

Commenting on the occasion Monika Manchanda, Co-founder and Chief Culinary Officer, LiveAltLife says, “People are realising that eating healthy doesn’t mean they shouldn’t enjoy food. They are demanding that they get delicious food that matches their goals. At LiveAltLife, we have seen it consistently in diabetic snacks and dessert demands.”

Roshni Bajaj Sanghvi, food and travel writer and restaurant critic says, “In Mumbai and Goa, Pune and Vadodara, the attention to nourishment is in focus; the wellness industry is booming. As restaurants tentatively reopened, we discovered menus labelled with food for immunity, and wellness. Salads and smoothies became popular, more of us looked to veganism than ever before. Hydroponic farms flourished. As we go into 2022, the home kitchen is looking at traditional remedies with renewed respect, and exploring ways in which we can help our bodies with foods we find in our kitchens.”

And as Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, Curating Editor of the Godrej Foods Trends Report 2022, has rightly said, “The year 2020 was dominated by comfort food. In 2021, Indian regional cuisine was celebrated for its richness. In 2022, food will play a significant role in wellness. By rediscovering our culinary roots, savouring our oil and ghee, supporting local farmers and food producers, and rediscovering our rich culinary heritage of eating for wellness In India, we will continue to make changes to our culinary traditions. A focus will be placed on traditional food systems, innate wisdom in culinary practices, as well as connections between our traditional food and our health.”

Godrej Food Trends Report 2022 – the detailed 95-page editionis available for download at www.vikhrolicucina.com