Top 10 food trends to tempt taste buds in 2014

BOULDER — What trendy meals will you be ordering in restaurants or preparing at home next year? Brand strategists think they know.

Boulder-based brand developer Sterling-Rice Group has identified the top 10 food trends that will be found on restaurant menus and supermarket shelves across the nation in 2014. The company has counseled and created foods for companies ranging from organic startups to large food companies.

In 2014, according to Sterling-Rice, consumers will continue to seek healthy options but with an occasional indulgent splurge. It predicts these food trends to go big next year as they move from cutting-edge to mainstream:

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Lemon steps into the sun: The often unmentioned brightener of dressings and sauces, lemon shines as a main ingredient in its purest freshest juice or preserved form.

Tea leaves the cup: Black, green, and other leafy brews will bring a healthy, flavorful twist to dinner, desserts and more.

The Middle Eastern Mediterranean: Middle Eastern seasonings such as sumac, za’atar, and marash will expand the boundaries – and flavor profile – of traditional Mediterranean cuisine.

Dairy goes nuts: Milks made from cashews, almonds and peanuts bring luscious dairy-free flavors to sauces, drinks and dinners.

The year of the yolk: The creamy, decadent, golden globe will reign, adding richness previously provided by cheese, dairy and sauces.

Refined classic American eats: Move over, burgers and fries; wedge salads doused in creamy Caesar and other upscale classics take center plate.

The return of poaching and steaming: Goodbye bland. Wine, coffee, beer and smoky liquids replace water for more flavorful dishes.

Seaweed goes beyond sushi: Nutritious and full of deep, salty flavor, seaweed shows up as a snack, umami-rich seasoning and more.

No ordinary pasta: Traditional pastas take a backseat to noodles made of alternative flours, seasoned with global spices and formed into new shapes of all sizes.

The new flavors of farm-to-table: Exotic meat – goat, rabbit and pigeon – raised by small-scale producers offers new feel-good protein choices.

Sterling-Rice’s 2014 Top 10 Food Trends were compiled with the expertise of its culinary council, a team of more than 100 chefs, restaurateurs and foodies – and feature examples of cutting-edge restaurants and brands leading the way for each trend. An extension of Culinary Shifts, the company’s proprietary research based on key societal shifts driving long-term food trends, the predictions provide insight for food-industry companies to better develop, position, market, and sell food products.

A complete look at the trends is online at srg.com/2014FoodTrends.