Top Food Trends of 2022 - We’ve Got You Covered

Since 1984 Melissa’s has grown on the simple notion that high-quality, fresh from the field food is the very best ingredient at the table. From health to flavor, nothing compares to fresh, hand-picked fruits and veggies—and we take great care to ensure we deliver the very best the global market has to offer. Delicious produce is what we’re all about!

Today, the way we cook is different—the home cook (and the professional chef) have high demands for the food they buy. Leading trends indicate that what customers want in 2022 is food that’s fresh, organic, immunity-packed, zero-waste, plant-based, booze-free, umami-blasted, citrus-perfumed and soulful. Melissa’s has everything you need to tap into the New Year’s leading food trends to make 2022 your best year yet.

Made for Each Other Immunity Boost
(We see you Ginger and Turmeric Immunity Booster Pack!)

Organic, immunity-boosting ingredients are a leading trend in 2022 as consumers choose to treat food as medicine. According to health researchers, there’s a shift away from single “hero ingredients” (like avocados or blueberries) to “dynamic duos” (foods that, when eaten together, bolster nutrient bioavailability). Take our Ginger and Turmeric Immunity Booster Pack—it’s a winning combo of ancient aromatic roots that are great on their own but more nutritious together. Curious about more? Dig into these organic dynamic duos to hack your health.

Organic Avocados + Organic Tomatoes: Eaten together, lycopene-rich tomatoes and the good fats in avocados may help with heart health.

Organic Lemons + Organic Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, mustard greens and collard greens): Plant-based iron in leafy greens is easier for your body to absorb when combined with vitamin C from lemons.

Organic Apples and Organic Grapes: Inflammation doesn’t stand a chance with this power duo, thanks to quercetin-rich apples and catechin (a type of antioxidant) in grapes.

Organic Blueberries and Organic Pomegranates: These tasty jewel-toned fruits can boost brain health with their antioxidant powers combined.

Pro-Tip
Many health professionals believe good health starts in your gut. Fermented foods like Korean kim chi (fermented napa cabbage with spices) can help. Don’t want to make it yourself? Try our Kim Chi, available in spicy-hot or mild.

Zero Waste—Oh, Baby!

The home kitchen sure is getting a workout these days (the never-ending dishes!). One way consumers have eased the grunt work in the kitchen is to shop for more less often. But, that comes at the cost of having a load of groceries that need to be used before they go bad. Today, the home chef is paying close attention to creative, zero-waste solutions to utilize ingredients before they end up in the trash—it’s a win-win for your wallet and the planet! Popular methods include “root to stalk” cooking (like steaming broccoli florets for dinner, then turning the stalks into broccoli slaw for lunch) or learning how to make veggie stock out of food scraps. Melissa’s offers a heap of products to help minimize waste and maximize nutrition.

Baby Fruits and Veggies

Just the right size means that half an apple in your fridge from 2 days ago won’t be forgotten. (Plus, teeny tiny fruits and veggies are fun for the kids!).

Organic Baby Gala Apples
Seckel Pears
Organic Baby Yams and Sweet Potatoes
Organic Mini Red Seedless Watermelon
Organic Mini Cucumbers
South African Baby Pineapple
Ojai Pixie Tangerines
Baby Bananas
Baby Bok Choy
Veggie Sweet Mini Peppers

Melissa’s Steamed Line

One of the simplest ways to go zero-waste is to eat the food you buy. Our convenient, easy-to-use lineup of steamed veggies and grains makes it easy to put flavorful, nutritious food on the table in a flash. No prep plus a handsome shelf-life means zero guilt.

Steamed Lentils
Steamed Blackeyed Peas
Steamed Artichoke Hearts
Steamed Golden Beets
Steamed Baby Beets
Peeled & Steamed Fava Beans
Steamed Red Kidney Beans
Peeled & Steamed Butternut Squash
Steamed Six Bean Medley
Peeled & Steamed Chickpeas

Pro-Tip
Did you know that our food-safe Fruit and Veggie Wash makes food last 5x longer? It’s made from a natural blend of fruit acids and antioxidants that are 99.9% more effective than water in cleaning wax, pesticide residues and soil from commercially grown produce.

Plant-Based Doesn’t Mean Going Cold Turkey

More than ever, people are embracing a plant-based diet to promote health and wellness for body and planet. 59% percent of consumers eat meatless meals at least once a week. Go #MeatlessMondays! People want flexibility because improving your health with a plant-based diet isn’t one-size-fits-all. Reducetarianism is a new popular trend that supports a reduced diet of meat, dairy and eggs, in place of more fruits and veggies. This approach takes shape in simple swaps—like 50/50 recipes (i.e., bolstering your burger patty with mushrooms or lentils) and picking plant-fed meat and eggs over the alternative. (Hint, try our 50/50 Umami Burger - pinky swear you won’t miss that extra meat!). Eat the rainbow with our selection of protein-packed legumes, grains, and seeds, veggies and fruits.

Grains/Legumes/Seeds
Organic Edamame
Organic Steamed Lentils
Peeled and Steamed Chickpeas
Peeled and Steamed Fava Beans
Steamed Six Bean Medley
Red Kidney Beans
Cooked Quinoa
Organic Polenta

Veggies
Organic Brussels Sprouts
Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes
Purple Asparagus
Baby Broccoli
Colorful Cauliflower
Beets
Shishito Peppers
Asian Essentials

Fruits
Guava
Tropical Avocado
Jackfruit
Ojai Pixie Tangerine
Dragonfruit
Passion Fruit
Cherimoya
Strawberry Papaya
Young Coconut


Pro-Tip
The plant-based milk trend welcomes a new kid on the block. Meet potato milk. Mild, nutritious and tuber-licious. Right now, potato milk has taken the United Kingdom by storm, thanks to DUG—a Swedish plant-based drink company that released three potato milk varieties to market in September 2021. DUG isn’t available in the U.S.—yet. Don’t despair; potato milk is easy to make. Try this recipe from Go Dairy Free.

Booze-Free Bonus

Living your best life in 2022 means enjoying booze without the buzz. The “sober-curious” movement of 2021 has inspired a bevy of beverages that feature a bouquet of botanicals, aromatics and exotic fruits. DIY simple syrup and shrubs (aka drinking vinegars) make mixing mocktails at home fun and oh-so-delicious—just add seltzer, tonic or soda, garnish with fresh fruit, herbs or a chile rim and away you go! Get inspired with these flavorful combos:

Dragon Fruit + Mint
Yuzu + Rosemary + Bay Leaf
Pinkglow™ Pineapple + Coconut
Finger Limes + Cucumber
Blood Orange + Turmeric
Butterscotch Pear + Ginger
Buddha’s Hand + Lime
Hibiscus + Raspberry + Thyme
Tamarind + Ginger + Mint
Coconut Water + Lychee
Kiwano Melon + Chile

 
Mushroom Madness

The mighty mushroom is more popular than ever! The surge in demand for mushrooms continues to grow from 2021 into the New Year as consumers hone in on mushrooms’ magic. Mushrooms are packed with vitamins and minerals; they’re available year-round, they can be enjoyed raw or cooked for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus, they’re umami flavor bombs with meat-like mimicry. They’re a go-to choice for those pivoting to plant-based. And, as if that’s not enough reason to swoon, mushrooms are the poster child for sustainable farming. That’s because mushrooms are grown indoors, using byproducts from farms that would otherwise go to waste. Such things as straw from horse farms create compost from which mushrooms grow. While button mushrooms have dominated the market, there’s a strong push for fresh and dried specialty mushrooms like chanterelles, shiitakes and the diamond of the kitchen—truffles! Looking for a not-so-average mushroom? Melissa’s has you covered.

Truffles
Morels
Oyster
Chanterelle
Wood Ear
Shiitake
Dried Mushrooms

 

Year of The Yuzu

In Japan (where Yuzu is widely cultivated), Yuzu symbolizes sunshine and good luck. Such positive symbolism (not to mention fascinating fragrance), and it’s no wonder that this uniquely floral citrus has captured tastebuds across the globe! Yuzu is sweet, floral and tart with a distinct, complex aroma of lime, lemon and grapefruit. Its juice and zest are traditionally used to enhance soy sauce, miso toppings and ponzu, but today, it’s also the rage in cocktails, savory dishes and sweets. Our yuzu is grown in sunny California, available from September thru December.

Soulful Africa

According to the Food Institute, interest in cuisine from the African diaspora has sky-rocketed in the past several years as many Americans look to the flavors and iconic dishes of their heritage. In 2021, West African cuisine was all the rage. Today, there’s much love for Southern soul food and cuisine from the Caribbean and North Africa. Many traditional, regional African dishes are plant-based featuring healthy grains and legumes and loads of fresh veggies. Interested in more? Tap into our fresh selection of fruits and veggies that expand your recipe repertoire to regions you have yet to explore.

Soul Food Essentials
Black-eyed Peas
Collard Greens
Kale
Okra
Sweet Potatoes
Fava Beans

Caribbean Essentials
Jamaica Hibiscus Pod
Ugli fruit
Yuca (Cassava)
Sweet Potato
Coconuts
Plantain Bananas
Scotch Bonnet Peppers
Taro
Turmeric
Ginger

North African Essentials
Guajillo Chiles
Chickpeas
Lemons (preserved)
Fava Beans
Mint