Sponsored: Time-Tested Food Ways Are Trendy for 2016

I’m lucky to be part of a group at Whole Foods Market whose goal is to discover, research and stay on top of culinary and healthy eating trends. Recently, we sat down to compare notes about the top 10 food trends to know for 2016. Happily, you don’t have to travel to a fancy restaurant in New York or Los Angeles to explore these flavorful finds. Here are a few picks you can enjoy in the comfort of your own kitchen or garden:

[mf_h2 align=”left” transform=”uppercase”]Heirloom Beyond the Tomato[/mf_h2]

Heirloom crops are plant breeds that existed long before conventional growing and breeding practices dominated U.S. agriculture, which means their distinct flavors and traits have been preserved for centuries. Until recently, finding heirloom ingredients – including the now mainstream heirloom tomatoes – in a national supermarket was a novelty. Now, products with heirloom ingredients (think beans, rice, tea, popcorn, cocoa and peppermint) are becoming more widely available, and everyone is gobbling them up.

Cook up a batch of Warm Heirloom Bean, Squash and Kale Salad.

[mf_h2 align=”left” transform=”uppercase”]Fermented Food and Drink[/mf_h2]

Traditional fermented favorites like sauerkraut, kimchi and gochujang dominate the list of “it” foods. These days, health-conscious folks are swigging flavorful beverages such as drinking vinegars, switchel, kombucha and kefir with wild abandon. Live, cultured and fermented foods are natural sources of probiotics, and the DIY movement surrounding probiotics is huge as the home fermentation craze grows. Bottom line: Probiotics are here to stay as digestive health and fermented flavor become top of mind.

Bite into a spicy Kimchi Burger.

[mf_h2 align=”left” transform=”uppercase”]Plant-Based Everything[/mf_h2]

Remember when veggies were relegated to the side of the plate? Now they’re exalted, becoming the stars of the culinary show, especially in the eyes of chefs. Whether it’s cauliflower “steaks,” mashed veggies beyond potatoes, or spiralized veggie noodles, plants are replacing meat on the plate and becoming signature entrees in their own right.

Want to try this at home? Here’s our recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Steaks.

The movement to “eat your veggies” goes way beyond the produce aisles. Plants are popping up in unexpected places – from vegan nut-based cheeses and yogurts to popsicles. Plants have found their way into body care products, vitamins and skincare, too, with superfoods such as broccoli, kale and acai as key ingredients in vitamin supplements, and quinoa protein being used in hair care products.

Check out the rest of our tips – including dehydrated foods and sustainable seafood – and let us know if there’s anything new taking root that the trends team should know about.

Caitlin Riley produces James Beard award-winning video content for Whole Foods Market and has logged thousands of miles in search of great stories about food, drink and other tasty parts of life.

This article is brought to you by Whole Foods Market