Banana Jerky? Sauerkraut? Whole Food Predicts What We'll Be Eating in 2021

The pandemic has upended how Americans live their day-to-day lives, including what we put on our plates.

More people are cooking and eating at home since restaurants have closed or scaled back due to COVID-19. Rice, dry pasta, and other pantry staples are flying off grocery store shelves, and of course, there's also pandemic baking.

Around 85% of consumers have changed their food habits because of the pandemic, which includes everything from snacking to eating healthier foods, the International Food Information Council discovered earlier this year.

“Food trends are a sign of the times, and our 2021 trends are no exception," said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief marketing officer at Whole Foods Market, in a statement.

With that in mind, Austin-based Whole Foods is looking ahead to what we'll be munching on next here. Here are the grocery chain's 2021 food trend predictions:

• Superfoods, probiotics, broths, and sauerkrauts. Expect an emphasis on foods that promote wellness and are loaded with vitamins and minerals.
• A better breakfast. Why grab a bowl of surgery cereal or a microwaved breakfast sandwich when you don't need to rush into the office any more? With more people working and learning from home, there's more time to cook a complete and filling breakfast, like pancakes or omelets.
• Pantry staples with a twist. Everyday items will have more spice or will be made from more flavorful ingredients. Whole Food's examples are hearts of palm pasta, applewood-smoked salt and “meaty” vegan soup.
• Coffee-flavored everything. Just because we're working from home doesn't mean we're about to ditch the java. Expect to see coffee-flavored granola bars, smoothies, yogurts, and even cold brew-flavored booze on store shelves.
• Baby food with adult flavors. Forget the jars of pureed carrots and peas. Baby food is adopting more adult ingredients, like apple pumpkin blueberry with ground chickpeas, and sweet potatoes with olive oil and rosemary.
• Upcycled food. Packaged foods will being using ingredients that might otherwise be thrown away. Think spent grain from brewing being used to bake bread or leftover pulp from juicing used to make vegetable chips.
• Walnut oil, pumpkin seed oil, sunflower seed oil. Olive oil is being swapped for oils that add are more distinct flavors while cooking.
• Alcoholic kombucha. It's booze meets probiotics.
• Chickpeas. Expect to see chickpeas in everything, not just hummus and falafel. Expect chickpea flour, chickpea tofu, chickpea pizza crust, and even chickpea-based desserts.
• Fruit and vegetable jerky. Jerky isn't just for meat eaters anymore. Mushroom jerky, jackfruit jerky, mango jerky, and even banana jerky will become new self-stable ways to eat your fruits and veggies.

Photo: Getty Images