KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — It’s a brand new year. Twelve fresh months to explore new cafés and restaurants, and to discover new dishes. New flavours to savour.

Or will it be more of the same old, same old — tired tropes recycled from the past year?

We are confident it will be more of the former though — fingers crossed! Here are five food trends for 2024 (with one bonus "wish” for good measure):

1. BREAKFAST FOODS, REMIXED AND REJUVENATED

Intermittent fasting is so passé. Bring breakfast back in 2024!

Morning cravings don’t have to be all doldrums, however. No burnt toast or soggy oatmeal, please.

The first meal of the day ought to be fun. This is where breakfast staples can be remixed and rejuvenated to excite jaded palates and whet sluggish appetites.

Take French toast — no breakfast food is more comforting. The fragrance of cinnamon and nutmeg paired with an eggy, custard soak can be taken in so many directions.

We expect to see morning larks mixing things up by enjoying this classic in the form of French toast crêpes or French toast bomboloni (Italian doughnuts). Perhaps even deconstructed into a French toast flavoured granola bowl, with sliced bananas and almonds.

Also, who’s to say you have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast? A splash of brandy or bourbon in the beaten eggs and milk, and you’ll have a sophisticated eggnog French toast fit for fancy desserts.

And that’s just French toast. Who knows what wonders one could work with waffles or cereal?

2. REAL PLANTS VS. HIGHLY PROCESSED PLANT-BASED FOODS

We have all heard of plant-based meat alternatives by companies such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Typically these are in the form of plant-based burger patties though any number of "meat analogues” can pop up in the product range, from plant-based sausages to plant-based "meatballs”.

But how about real plants?

The advantages of incorporating fresh plants — be it vegetables, fruits, fungi, nuts or seeds — into one’s meal preparation range from lower costs to the food being minimally processed.

Whether it’s a huge salad, a fruit bowl or some nourishing vegetable soup, you’d get plus points for your health (more on this below) by consuming more whole foods.

3. THE RISE OF HOME FERMENTERS

You’ve seen it all on TikTok and Instagram. More and more people are starting to ferment foods at home.

From kimchi and kombucha, pickles to sauerkraut, home ferments seem to be a way for the Millennials to save money as well get back in touch with a more naturalistic style of living.

They might not be homesteaders but their bank accounts might be healthier for their viral posts of making tempeh and kefir at home.

4. FOOD TO HEAL AND SUPPORT HEALTH

Speaking of health, food has been regarded as medicine for centuries. But with increasing fears about health and tech bro driven thirst for longevity, expect more Google searches for health span supporting foods and drinks.

Yes, "health span” is apparently a term now, denoting the length of time that a person is healthy. Longevity, the length of time that a person is alive, is no longer the only goal, you see.

So while dietary supplements aren’t going away anytime soon, expect folks to seek out more health span supporting foods this year.

One example would be the attempt to make every dinner plate a veritable rainbow as each colour is linked to a different nutrient.

For instance, the red of tomatoes and watermelons comes from lycopene, which may defend against prostate and lung cancers; leafy green vegetables may reduce risk of heart disease; and purple-hued fruits and vegetables such as blueberries and eggplants contain anthocyanin, which helps with arthritis.

5. FLAVOUR PROFILES THAT ACTUALLY MAKE SENSE

Finally, while there’s no returning the genie to the lamp with viral-ready ideas such as matching French croissants with Japanese ramen, we can look forward to better flavour pairings in 2024.

Instead of shock value (i.e. not just slapping siew yoke or bacon on every dish you can think of), chefs, cooks and bakers will pay attention to how ingredients work together and what flavours customers would actually return for.

Sometimes this means investigating a single key ingredient such as chillies and experimenting with different varieties or a blend of these to conjure up new flavour profiles.

It can be tempting to create the next hit-of-the-week but the serious foodies would prefer new classics that taste just as good in the years and decades to come.

... AND ONE MORE THING

As a bonus, we hope to see cuisines get more specific at restaurants. Dishes that are distinctly regional rather than trying to represent an entire country’s taste buds and culinary heritage.

Imagine restaurants that serve Hunan or Shandong dishes instead of generic Chinese; a Japanese café that bakes pies with apples from Aomori, another that makes Okinawa-style soba noodles; and so on.

The truth is, no one can predict trends with any sort of certainty. We are not oracles.

Consider these New Year’s wishes for healthier, tastier and more wholesome food trends, for meals that will bring all of us around to sit at the same table, in good conversation and greater cheer.

Happy New Year, everyone!

For more slice-of-life stories, visit lifeforbeginners.com.

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