Top Fall Food Trends for Heat-and-Eat Meal Delivery Services
While we’re barely halfway through summer, most of the heat-and-eat meal delivery partners we talk to are already elbow-deep in fall planning – and that means a hard pivot from fresh and even no-cook meals to hearty, comforting, and warm flavors.
Fall is a prime opportunity for heat-and-eat meal delivery services to update their menus and celebrate some of our favorite flavors, plus new must-tries that tend to pop up this time of year. Though still weeks away, we’re already seeing several exciting food trends driven by a combination of traditional flavors, innovative ingredients, and a focus on sustainability and health. Our advice? Start digging in now so that, come August and September, you can start touting what’s new for fall.
- Comfort Foods with a Twist
Comfort food is a staple of fall cuisine – who doesn’t crave that warmth and nostalgia when the temperature drops? This year, though, we're seeing a trend toward reinventing classic comfort dishes with a modern twist – think mac and cheese infused with truffle oil, shepherd's pie topped with sweet potato instead of traditional mashed potatoes, and lasagna made with zucchini noodles for a lighter option.
How to Incorporate It:
- Innovative Ingredients: Elevate classic dishes with premium and unexpected ingredients. Consider adding gourmet cheeses, exotic spices, or unique vegetable substitutions.
- Healthy Alternatives: To cater to health-conscious customers, offer healthier versions of comfort foods, such as whole-grain pasta, cauliflower crusts, or leaner meats.
- Plant-Based and Vegan Options
The demand for plant-based and vegan meals continues to grow, and fall is the perfect time to highlight the season’s bounty of vegetables. Root vegetables, squashes, mushrooms, and hearty greens take center stage in plant-based dishes that are both nutritious and satisfying.
How to Incorporate It:
- Seasonal Produce: Utilize seasonal produce like butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and beets to create rich and flavorful plant-based meals.
- Diverse Flavors: Experiment with international flavors and cuisines, such as Moroccan tagines, Indian curries, and Mediterranean mezze, to add variety and excitement to your plant-based offerings.
- Global Comfort Foods
As travel remains restricted for many, people are exploring global cuisines from the comfort of their homes. This fall, there is a growing interest in comfort foods from around the world, such as Japanese ramen, Mexican pozole, and Italian risotto.
How to Incorporate It:
- Authentic Recipes: Offer authentic recipes that transport customers to different parts of the world. Collaborate with chefs who specialize in these cuisines to ensure authenticity.
- Fusion Dishes: Create fusion dishes that combine elements from different cultures, like a Korean-inspired BBQ pulled pork or a Thai curry pumpkin soup.
- Functional Foods and Superfoods
Consumers are increasingly looking for meals that taste good and provide health benefits. Functional foods and superfoods, such as turmeric, ginger, chia seeds, and dark leafy greens, are becoming popular for their potential health benefits.
How to Incorporate It:
- Boosted Ingredients: Add functional ingredients to your existing recipes. For example, incorporate turmeric into soups and stews, add chia seeds to breakfast bowls, or use ginger in sauces and marinades.
- Health-Focused Meals: Create meals designed to boost immunity, reduce inflammation, or provide energy. Highlight these benefits in your marketing materials to attract health-conscious customers.
- Sustainability and Local Sourcing
Sustainability is a key consideration for many consumers, and there is a growing demand for locally sourced and sustainably produced ingredients. Fall is a great time to showcase locally harvested produce and support local farmers.
How to Incorporate It:
- Local Partnerships: Partner with local farmers and suppliers to source fresh, seasonal ingredients. Highlight these partnerships on your menu and marketing materials to emphasize your commitment to sustainability.
- Eco-Friendly Packaging: Use eco-friendly packaging materials to reduce your environmental footprint. Consider compostable or recyclable packaging options to appeal to environmentally conscious customers.
- Fermented Foods
Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, and miso are gaining popularity for their unique flavors and potential health benefits, particularly for gut health. These foods add depth and complexity to dishes and can be used in various ways.
How to Incorporate It:
- Flavor Enhancers: Use fermented foods as flavor enhancers in your meals. For example, add kimchi to grain bowls, use miso in soups and marinades, or offer kombucha as a beverage option.
- Gut Health: Promote the gut health benefits of fermented foods in your marketing materials to attract health-conscious customers.
- Hearty Grain Bowls
Grain bowls are versatile, customizable, and perfect for fall. They can be warm or cold, savory or sweet, and packed with a variety of ingredients, making them a popular choice for meals.
How to Incorporate It:
- Seasonal Ingredients: Create grain bowls using seasonal ingredients like roasted root vegetables, hearty greens, nuts, and seeds. Combine them with grains like quinoa, farro, or wild rice.
- Customization: Offer a build-your-own grain bowl option, allowing customers to choose their base, proteins, vegetables, and dressings.
- Comforting Beverages
Fall is synonymous with warm, comforting beverages. This year, traditional drinks like hot chocolate and apple cider are being reinvented with new flavors and ingredients.
How to Incorporate It:
- Signature Drinks: Develop signature fall beverages, such as spiced hot chocolate with a hint of chili, chai tea lattes with pumpkin spice, or mulled apple cider with a splash of bourbon.
- Healthier Alternatives: Offer healthier versions of these beverages by using natural sweeteners, dairy alternatives, and incorporating superfoods like matcha or turmeric.
- Indulgent Desserts
Fall desserts are all about indulgence and nostalgia. This year, expect to see classic desserts with a modern twist, such as pumpkin spice everything, caramel apple pies, and spiced pear tarts.
How to Incorporate It:
- Classic with a Twist: Offer classic fall desserts with a twist, like a pumpkin spice cheesecake, gluten-free apple crumble, or spiced pear tart with almond flour crust.
- Mini Desserts: Consider offering mini versions of these desserts, allowing customers to indulge without overindulging. This also makes them perfect for sharing or enjoying as a small treat.
- Meal Kits for Home Cooking
With more people cooking at home, meal kits that include all the ingredients and instructions for making a dish are becoming increasingly popular. This fall, focus on meal kits that feature seasonal ingredients and comforting recipes.
How to Incorporate It:
- Seasonal Recipes: Develop meal kits highlighting seasonal recipes, such as a butternut squash risotto, beef stew with root vegetables, or pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter.
- Easy Preparation: Ensure that the meal kits are easy to prepare, with clear instructions and pre-measured ingredients to make cooking at home convenient and enjoyable.
Leaning into Fall Trends
Fall is a season rich with culinary possibilities, offering an array of flavors, ingredients, and dishes that can inspire your heat-and-eat meal delivery service. By staying attuned to the latest food trends and incorporating them into your menu, you can attract new customers, retain existing ones, and elevate your offerings to stand out in a competitive market. From reinventing comfort foods and exploring global cuisines to focusing on health and sustainability, the trends this fall provide numerous opportunities to innovate and delight your customers. Embrace these trends and create a menu that captures the best of fall and brings warmth and comfort to every meal.
