The Year That Was And The Year That Will Be

As the meals and trends of 2015 have come and gone, it's time to look back at the year that was in food news, as well as what we can look forward to in 2016.

• Hot in 2015
  If the media reports I scanned are to be believed, the things that were trending in 2015 food-wise were bone broth; craft beer; anything smoked; beets; tacos; escargot; finding new and creative ways to make dishes gluten-free; rabbit; sitting at a booth in a restaurant; and food halls. I missed last year's beet craze, and I'm not sure when booth-seating wasn't cool - clearly, I need to eat out more this year.


• Food prices to continue going up
  You couldn't help but notice how much food cost at the supermarket last year, and that trend isn't going away in 2016. Because Canadians have to purchase about 81% of their fresh produce from sources outside of Canada, a head of cauliflower might be as much as $8 at the grocery store nowadays. Food prices could increase anywhere from 2% to as much as 4% this year, and according to Food Institute of the University of Guelph, the more the Canadian dollar loses traction, the price of imported foods like fruits, nuts, vegetables, processed products and grocery products will increase. Food prices in 2015 rose by 4.1% across the country, meaning the average Canadian household paid about $325 more for food than in 2014. Meat prices rose 5% last year and could go up another 4.5% this year, so expect to see more fish, lentils, and chickpeas on menus and tables this year, and the head-to-tail/stem-to-root- cooking practices to continue.
  
  
• Local restaurant closures
  Arguably, the biggest food story in Ottawa was the closing of Mello's restaurant in the Market. Everyone was caught off-guard expected the backlash from the diner's closing, mostly because no one ever thought the Ottawa institution would ever close. I never had the pleasure of eating there during either its diner heyday, or its pop-up supper club phase, and my wife considered it one of the sketchier of her after-hours haunts in the early 90s. Having gone there once for my birthday, the closing of Hy's meant more to either of us, with it closing in February of this year due to a disagreement over the cost of renewing its lease. Other restaurant closures of note in the city include Chinatown's Hung Sum and Raw Sugar Cafe, and the Denny's in South Keys.


• Favourite foodie word of the year
  
  hangry - 1.) hungry and angry at the same time; 2.) to be so hungry that it makes you angry
  
  Anyone with young children or who works long hours to meet impossible deadlines is familiar with this word and feeling; I'm amazed it took as long as it did to become mainstream.


• All-day breakfast at McDonald's
  It took me by surprise to see how many people got excited about hearing Mickey D's plan to serve the most important meal of the day twenty-four hours a day. When you consider how much of the breakfast market McDonald's has (they comprised one-third of all fast-food breakfast sales in 2012), it makes sense to extend breakfast past 10:30 in the morning. Let's hope this plan starts here in Canada in 2016 so that no one will ever know the indignity of just missing out on an Egg McMuffin ever again.


• Food companies to cater to millennials
  With their numbers reaching 80 million in America alone, representing about a fourth of the entire population, and $200 billion in annual buying power, it seems that if you weren't born between 1982 and 2004, your opinion about food and dining doesn't matter. But before you start complaining about how they need to stay off your lawn, you can thank these youngsters for things like the loungability and relaxed atmosphere at restaurants; the on-going fascination with sriracha and kale; and customizable menu options at fast-food places.


• Hot in 2016?
  The experts on Pinterest predict beer cocktails; snacking from Bento boxes; DIY artisan olive oils; avocado oil; homebrewing; and distilling your own liquor will be what everyone will be doing this year, along with pour-over coffee (who has time for that?); gourmet spins on traditional cultural cuisines; enjoying more vegetables; and choosing savoury or sweet desserts. I myself predict more choices on the edible marijuana scene as the Liberal government rolls out its weed legalization plans, and more of a spotlight on local cuisine as we march towards Canada's 150th-anniversary celebrations; get those food truck applications ready.