Cooking with ingredients that were grown on your own clothing and foods that absorb rather than emit carbon are just some of the trends that might shape our future weeknight dinner, according to a new campaign from global meal kit company, HelloFresh.
HelloFresh has teamed up with Dr Morgaine Gaye, Food Futurologist, and Dr Joseph Poore, Climate Scientist at Oxford University, to predict what we might be eating in 2050.
“Kiwicha” and “kañihua”, relatives of quinoa, are slated to become commonplace, alongside 3D printed food developed from scraps, and even clothes that could grow foods on the go – according to the experts.
Research has found that there’s concern amongst British people about what future mealtimes could look like in a changing climate. Over half (57%) say they’re worried about a sustainable future of food, and 37% believe that the foods we’ll be eating will be bland with bad taste.
To reassure consumers about the future of food and also demonstrate how positive food choices can make a difference today, HelloFresh has imagined a collection of ‘recipes from the future’, using the 2050 predictions shared by Morgaine and Joseph.
These include:
- Nordic Tempeh Buckwheat-Sorghum Ramen with Crunchy Mushrooms
Nordic tempeh ramen with hearty buckwheat-sorghum noodles, crispy oyster mushrooms, toasted seeds and umami-packed sauce
This recipe uses sorghum, an exceptionally resilient African crop that is becoming more common in Europe, offering a mild, slightly nutty flavour with a hint of sweetness and buckwheat, another traditional ingredient that will remain on menus in 2050. Squash seeds and regrown spring onion ends are repurposed to reduce food waste. - No Waste Mushroom ‘Meatball’ Sorghum Bowl with Salsa
Mushroom ‘meatballs’ sorghum bowl, with (grow-your-own) spring onion and carrot top salsa and garlicky ‘no bin’ leaves
By 2050, AI could help us go even further in tackling food waste, by identifying ways to use discarded but edible parts of produce. In this recipe, carrot tops and garlic leaves have been repurposed and are used with spring onions, which regrow naturally when the bottoms are placed in water. In the future, any food waste that does occur could be fed into 3D food printers and transformed into new dishes, for example, using leftover rice and vegetables to make sushi.
- Quick and Local Kelp Noodle Stir-Fry with Vegan ‘Chicken’
Instant kelp noodle stir-fry with vegan “chicken” protein and locally-grown veggies
Seaweed, like kelp, absorbs greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and is a healthy alternative to traditional pasta, soaking up the flavours paired with it. It’s also rich in minerals like iodine, calcium, and iron. Other carbon absorbing ingredients that will be common in 2050 include edible cacti, which can be used in everything from taco toppings to jam. - Carrot Top ‘Pesto’ Pasta with Aubergine and Chickpeas
Vibrant carrot top and spinach pesto pasta with soybean protein spaghetti, basil marinated aubergine and chickpea crisp
With climate change set to reshape agriculture, by 2050, we could see crops such as aubergines, soybeans and chickpeas, currently confined to warmer climates, grown locally in countries as far north as Scandinavia. This recipe was designed in Denmark to demonstrate how these ingredients might be used as a delicious seasonal pasta.
- Savory Teff Galette with Dandelion Salad
Savory teff galette with plant-based ham, freeze-dried blue cheese and crunchy popped quinoa sprinkle served with a flowery herb salad of dandelions and purslanes and French pecans
Poore explains, there are more than 30,000 edible plants on Earth, yet 50% of global cropland is currently used to grow just four: wheat, maize, rice, and soy. By 2050, we will need to diversify agriculture for the health of our soil or the ability to grow ingredients in harsher conditions. As a result, we will grow a much broader range of crops thanks to the rediscovery of native plants that were once part of the traditional diet. In France, plants like dandelion and purslane – both nutrient-dense, versatile ingredients that can add a variety of flavours and textures to dishes, will become commonplace in our diets again. Here, they’ve been used alongside teff – a hardy and nutritious millet grain from Africa that grows well in challenging conditions. Teff has a subtle, slightly nutty flavour, which makes it versatile in a wide range of dishes, and in this dish offers a modern twist on a French classic.
Philip Doran, CEO at HelloFresh, UK said: “At HelloFresh, we understand that the food we eat has a real impact on the environment. That’s why we offer a meal model designed to support a more thoughtful, less wasteful way of eating.
“Our Life Cycle Assessment showed that HelloFresh meals produce 25% fewer carbon emissions compared to similar meals made with supermarket ingredients. So, simply by switching to HelloFresh for midweek dinners, our customers know they can make a positive impact.”
It’s not just what we eat that will have changed by 2050 – we’ll also see big changes in the way that we produce, buy, and prepare our food. In 25 years’, time, our experts predict that we’ll also see:
- Communal Eating – While there will be more inventive ways to help us cook and prepare dishes, the sensory and emotional aspects of food will continue to play a key role in our lives. We will place great value on food that is #madebyhumans and we’ll see a rise in communal meals, with streets and housing blocks gathering to share the results of their collective growing efforts. The stories behind our favourite family meals will be preserved via access to multi-generational recipe databases, and with the use of holograms, people will be able to experience virtual cooking experiences with remote participants.
- The end of the weekly shop – AI and Mealkits will be the norm as people get used to ordering in precise quantities for specific meals, reducing food waste.
- Clothing that grows food – By 2050 new innovations in material science will allow people to stay self-sufficient by using their clothing to grow food on the go. We may see this more so with people who choose to live a more nomadic life. Imagine a puffer jacket, where each pocket is used to grow plants such as herbs, micro-greens, and plant proteins.
- The rise of urban agriculture – By 2050, we can expect to see food production become much more visible in cities, driven by community-led growing and buying clubs as well as a broader shift towards hyperlocal food supply chains, as countries and regions strive for self-sufficiency.
- Foods will absorb greenhouse gases, not emit them – By 2050, foods that remove greenhouse gases from the air could be the norm. For example, an increase in vertical ocean farming and sustainable aquaculture could also mean that mussels, oysters and clams are still on the menu in 2050 – shellfish act as carbon sinks by sequestering carbon in their shells, supporting its position as a sustainable food source.
“Our diets will probably look different in 2050, but perhaps not in the way that people might think. Climate change will mean that a broader range of drought and heat-resistant crops will need to be cultivated, some of which our ancestors would have grown. We’ll also need to eat a diet lower in animal products to avert severe global warming; these foods will be good for our health and the planet”, said Dr Joseph Poore, Climate Scientist at the University of Oxford.
“We can expect numerous changes in the way we live and eat in the future”, said Dr Morgaine Gaye, Food Futurologist. “Despite all the changes in how and what we eat, the experience of cooking and eating together will remain an important way to connect with our senses, our friends and family, and the natural world. AI will not be able to replace the joy of a home-cooked meal with the people we love.”
