These Are All The Food Trends You'll Be Eating In 2018

First there was matcha. Then came ube. Soon after, we were all eating unicorn-themed desserts and crazy, loaded milkshakes. 

Does it ever end? Apparently not. The crazy food trend of 2017 may have long passed us now, but that doesn't mean that next year won't be filled with just as much (or perhaps more) culinary weirdness as the last.

Here are all the food trends you should expect to see in 2018. 

Japanese 'Dude Food'

Fed up with all that 'girly' miso and noodle soup? Yeah us too. In 2018, we'll be enjoying meatier Japanese options inspired by sharing dishes from izakaya bars  (Japanese pub-cum-tapas-bar), according to supermarket chain Waitrose. 

Waitrose said: "The trend will combine the hearty ‘dude food’ of the southern US states with the unctuous, rich and surprising flavours of after-hours Tokyo.”

Essentially, imagine pub food from Japan and you have 'dude food': Skewered chicken and deep-fried tofu, among others. Don't worry, they still go well with a big, cold glass of beer.

Indian street food

As a lover of pani puri and jalebis, this is very exciting news. In place of heavy curries, Waitrose says we'll all be obsessed with lighter goodies. Expect food trucks to start selling puris stuffed with zingy vegetables, momos and vada pav (basically a potato patty burger). 

Plant proteins

Plant-based foods are slated to be a mega trend of 2018. With the rise of flexitarians everywhere, expect to see vegan options of your favourite foods everywhere. According to researchers, vegan cheese will become commonplace in restaurants and your favourite retailers will start selling vegan ice cream. Yum. In fact, it's already starting with vegan boozy milkshakes and almond milk eggnog.

And we hope you like algae - that might also be in everything you eat. While you may have overlooked this tiny organism until now, algae is easy to grow and packed with protein. It may not sound nice, but hey, it's good for you.

Mashups

Sushi burgers, fried chicken tacos and dessert pizzas have taken over recent years, and we don't expect them to die down anytime soon. While this food trend is definitely one of the weirdest, it's also the most exciting. What will they come up with next? 

Jackfruit

This food trend was scheduled to be a trend this year, but never really blew up like activated charcoal, unicorn food and matcha did.

This green lopsided monstrosity is native to South Asia and is known for it's 'meaty' texture. It's often used to replace meat, which is perfect for the predicted plant-based trend of 2018. And with a 420% increase in interest among Pinterest users this year, there's a good chance the massive fruit will gain the popularity it deserves in 2018.

It's also a true super-fruit: Packed with protein, vitamin C, vitamin B, potassium and magnesium. Just watch out for it's smell, which some have likened to rotting onions, pineapple and bananas.

Which food trend is your favourite?