5 of the Biggest Trends in Culinary Arts This Year

As the year winds down, connoisseurs of every imaginable pleasure -- from movies and fashion to meals and drinks -- are whittling down the biggest trends of 2014. For chefs, fine diners, and food critics, this year's most noticeable trends look a lot like last year's. They still revolve around environmental, ethical, and dietary concerns, but there are a few surprises too.

In order to whet America's collective appetite with your next meal or menu, study these five food trends of the year. They might just be your recipe for restaurant success.

Locally-Sourced Ingredients

Every year, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) gives a "culinary forecast" of the trends that will dominate menus for the next year. These predictions are based on a survey of professional chefs, and this year's survey put locally sourced ingredients at the very top of the trending charts. That includes locally-grown produce, locally-caught seafood, and locally-raised meats.

Local food is fresher and more sustainable, and it gives conscientious diners the ability to check out their food sources firsthand. Forbes even detailed Chipotle and Panera's creative efforts to promote and emphasize their local vendors. As fair labor, fair trade, animal welfare, and organic farming become more important, locally-sourced meals are looking more attractive than ever.

Gluten-Free

From newspaper headlines to grocery store aisles, the gluten-free frenzy is here to stay. From bona fide wheat allergies and celiac disease to theories about weight loss and energy levels, diners and shoppers are becoming more and more concerned about their gluten intake. Modern chefs need to rethink wheat, barley, and rye as baking and cooking staples.

Vegetarian & Vegan Options

Versatile plants and grains have been buzzing in foodie circles for years -- quinoa and kale are two prime, if over-exposed, examples -- and it looks like that won't be changing any time soon. As more and more diners pursue ingredients that didn't cause any suffering, meat-free menu items are becoming more and more practical.

Plant-based meals are almost always cheaper to prepare, and it's important to accommodate vegans and vegetarians, especially in major cities and their suburbs. The demand is getting more specific, too: the National Restaurant Association's 2014 culinary forecast placed vegetarian appetizers in the #2 spot for appetizer trends in particular.

Nutty Dairy Products

Perhaps as an outcome of increasing vegan visibility, people are increasingly opting for dairy derived from nuts instead of milk. The Sterling-Rice Group compiled its own results from culinary experts, who included not just chefs but diners, supermarket analysts, restaurateurs, and more. They put nutty dairy products, primarily soy, coconut, and almond milk, in the #2 spot.

Nuts already have a slew of dietary benefits (and 77 percent of American homes already have nuts in their homes), so this isn't just a helpful trend for lactose-intolerant, calorie-counting, and vegan eaters. You might get an advantage from nut-derived milk, ice cream, cheese, coffee creamer, margarine, and other "dairy" products.

Healthy Kids' Meals

Childhood obesity has long been a hot topic among pediatricians, nutritionists, educators, and lawmakers, so it's no surprise that the NRA calls "healthful" kids' meals one of the most steadfast culinary trends of the past 20 years. More and more chefs are stepping up their efforts to be part of the solution, rather than the problem, and chain restaurants are responding to parent demand for healthier kids' options.

These five trends mark another chapter in the ever-changing palates and priorities of American consumers, but it's up to every chef and diner to make their own discoveries. Will you explore new ways to make your ingredients interesting and fresh?

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