Thank goodness for Pinterest, a place where people can go to find ideas for everything from their next major haircut inspiration to what they'll be serving for dinner. In terms of the latter of these, the online resource provides a wealth of options, whether you're looking for slow-cooker friendly dishes, healthful and healing foods, or whatever else your culinary curiosity is seeking. That said, if what you desire is trying out the next biggest food trends, it's the perfect platform.
Health and wellness tend to be two areas tons of people focus on when thinking about what they'd like to improve upon at the beginning of a new year, which would explain why the masses take to Pinterest this time of year for some food inspiration. If you're not the type to flip through a cookbook to find your next kitchen experiment, the site is a great resource to not only find out the of-the-moment superfoods that people are stocking up on right now, but also how to make meals that are stress-free, and the eating trend you'll want to use for your next dinner party. Ahead find nine of the most searched for food trends to try now, plus tips on how to serve 'em.
Medicinal Mushrooms
From Reishi to Chaga, there are actually a ton of different types of medicinal mushrooms that have been said to do everything from helping you adapt to stress to lengthening your lifespan. Once you sort out which one is right for your needs, Pinterest can show you recipes for a DIY mushroom latte or tonic. Or you can go for a pre-made powder, like the ones offered by Four Sigmatic.
Paleo-Vegan Diet
A paleo-vegan diet — or "pegan" as some call it — is focused on low-glycemic fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and starches. What it doesn't include are any processed foods, animal products, legumes, or grains. If you're interested, but still a little confused, Pinterest offers a slew of suggestions on what to eat if you want to try out this lifestyle change.
Grazing Tables
In lieu of a sit-down dinner, offering a grazing table of snack-able foods like charcuterie, cheeses, nuts, sliced fruit, etc, is a great option particularly when hosting a gathering, since people can easily grab what they like and there's not a lot of heavy-lifting required in the kitchen.
Bread Baking
According to Pinterest, there's a major jump in searches for bread baking recipes and techniques. If you are a bread-eater, making your own loaf is a great way to make sure the carbs you're consuming aren't full of additives and preservatives. Plus there's nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread.
Ginger Infusions
Thanks to ginger's antibacterial properties, it gets a boost in searches during cold and flu season. It's probably no coincidence that people also seek out ways to ingest the bloat-fighting ingredient during the holidays, when over-indulging is common.
Oxtail
According to Pinterest, slow cooker enthusiasts are opting to try this cut of beef, which happens to be super conducive to that cooking method. Oxtail, which makes for an especially satisfying winter stew, is a gelatin-enriched meat, which means it's also a great source of collagen that keeps your skin and hair healthy, and your joints lubricated.
Tin Foil Cooking
Think of tin foil meal pouches as the new one-pot-wonder dishes. Toss your ingredients together (veggies, fish, herbs, citrus, etc.) and bake for a simple meal that requires very little clean up — which is probably why everyone's been searching the term on Pinterest lately.
Homemade Jam
It's probably not a coincidence that searches for homemade jam get a boost during the holiday season. Not only does it make a thoughtful gift, but it's a great way to preserve seasonal fruit that won't be around too long. For the winter, try making yours out of persimmon, citrus, or pears so you can still enjoy them come spring and summer.
Oat Milk
If you opt out of dairy (or at least limit it) oat milk is the hottest alternative, according to Pinterest searches. There are a handful of brands on the market that offer ready-made options, or you can use the site to find a super simple recipe to make your own for lattes, or sub in for dairy-free baking.
