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    Living Well

    10 biggest food trends for 2019 unveiled by Texas grocery giant

    Katie Friel
    Nov 23, 2018 | 12:00 pm
    Dolcezza Gelato marscapone berry gelato
    Expect more sweet and savory desserts, such as this mascarpone and berry gelato from Washington, D.C.-based Dolcezza Gelato.
    Dolcezza Gelato/Facebook

    It's the most wonderful time of the year — trend season. Thanksgiving marks the official beginning to all things top 10, such as restaurants, beauty trends, viral videos, midterm campaign meltdown moments. It's such fun.

    Whole Foods Market is leading the charge with its fourth annual roundup of the must-have items and can't-miss fads for 2019. The 10 selections were compiled by the company's buyers and foodie experts, and though varied, they reflect the overall cultural shift towards physical and spiritual wellness and environmentally conscious lifestyle choices.

    Below, find the trends the Texas-based grocer says consumers can expect to see on shelves — and their plates — throughout the new year.

    Pacific rim flavors
    After the year of the poke restaurant explosion, this trend is heading out of the bowl and onto grocery shelves. These flavors represent regions such as Asia, Oceania, and the western coasts of North and South America, and can be brought home with ingredients like longganisa (a Filipino pork sausage), dried shrimp, cuttlefish, shrimp paste, guava, and passionfruit. The grocer also name drops jackfruit, a tree fruit increasingly used as a meat substitute. (And spoiler alert, meat substitutes are also one of the top 10 trends this year.)

    Shelf-stable probiotics
    From Autism to allergies, it seems the answer to every health question this year involved taking a fistful of probiotics. Innovations in shelf-stable strains of the bacteria are leading to an increasing number of long-lasting probiotic products, resulting in a smaller need for refrigerated options. Whole Foods also anticipates the probiotic trend to increasingly show up in beauty products and even cleaning supplies.

    Phat fats
    Disclaimer: Whole Foods named this section, not the writer. Fats are back this year, thanks in part to the rise of grain-free, keto, paleo, and “pegan” (paleo and vegan) diets. Consumers can expect to see an increasing number of fatty options, especially in the snack aisle. "Keto-friendly nutrition bars crafted with MCT oil powder, coconut butter–filled chocolates, snacks affectionately called fat bombs, and a new wave of ready-to-drink vegan coffee beverages inspired by butter coffees are busting on the scene allowing consumers to get their fat fill with convenient treats," says the grocer in a release. Well, that is big news.

    Next-level hemp
    If the buzz around CBD is any indication, it's unsurprising that hemp is on the list. CBD is still prohibited in food and dietary supplements under federal law, but that doesn't mean consumers can go green in a different way. Analysts say shoppers will see an increase in hemp plant stem cells, as well as the hemp hearts, seeds, and oils that have been around for years. "It’s clear that hemp-derived products are going mainstream, if not by wide distribution, then by word of mouth," writes Whole Foods.

    Faux meat snacks
    Meatless is mainstream and bringing a bevy of faux meat snacks onto the market. As Americans increasingly taper off meat for health, spiritual, or environmental reasons, companies are trying to find a way to appeal to the carnivore palate with veggie and vegan products. In 2019, Whole Foods forecasts more innovations in mushroom-based foods inspired by meaty favorites such as vegan jerky and pigless pork rinds.

    Eco-conscious packaging
    Whole Foods say shoppers will see a rapid shift in how companies package their goods in coming years. Meanwhile, Whole Foods' stores are abandoning plastic food wraps in favor of beeswax, waxed canvas, or silicone alternatives, and setting up regional test pilots for products like sipper lids made from PET. It's like the plastic straw ban, but on a whole new level.

    Trailblazing frozen treats
    People want to have their treats and eat them, too, and it appears a host of new companies are ensuring they can do that. Look for dairy-alternatives in the frozen aisle, and desserts concocted from things like avocado, hummus, tahini, and coconut water. Traditional treats are getting an unexpected twist with ingredients like savory swirls of artisanal cheese, while global favorites like Taiwanese snow ice, Mexican nieves de garrafa, and "chewy" Turkish ice cream hit the mainstream American market. As for those high-protein, low-calorie ice creams like Halo Top? Whole Foods says those aren't going anywhere.

    Marine munchies beyond seaweed
    Prepare for more ocean-inspired snacks to wash over the grocery store aisle in 2019. Sea greens will continue to drift into dishes, while puffed snacks made from water lily seeds, plant-based tuna alternatives with algae ingredients, crispy snackable salmon skins with omega-3s, and kelp jerkies indicate a shifting tide in the snack aisle.

    Snack time, upgraded
    Yet another snack trend. (Seriously, shouldn't this be the 10 biggest snack trends?) As smaller meals continue to rise in popularity, either because of diet or because it's just easier to justify eating seven times a day if it's called a "snack," these bites are destined for a serious upgrade in 2019. Portable snacks packs, upgraded retro treats, and fancy packaged micro-meals are all on the menu for 2019.

    Purchases that empower
    Customers increasingly want to know that they're not just buying something, they're doing good. Next year, expect to see a more curious consumer, one that questions the ethos of the company it is buying from. It's not just some feel-good trend either; Americans who thoughtfully spend are radically transforming the industry. "Consumer purchasing power continues to motivate changes in the food, beverage, and body care industries, as shoppers demand more from the brands and businesses they choose to support," says the release. Just how this may affect Amazon, the e-commerce giant owner of Whole Foods, remains to be seen.

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    food news roundup

    6 things to know in Houston food: Openings, a closing, and more

    Eric Sandler
    Mar 27, 2026 | 3:34 pm
    Atlantic Ocean food spread
    Photo by Madelynne Grace
    Atlantic Ocean recently opened on Washington Avenue.

    From an intimate new Italian restaurant in West U. to the surprise shutter of a Midtown pickleball venue, the Houston food scene moves pretty fast. Read on to find out how Winsome Prime is celebrating its anniversary, an Atlanta chef who just opened his first Houston restaurant, and an exciting new dinner series that’s bringing one of Austin’s best chefs to the Heights for a one-night-only meal.

    Openings and closings

    Osteria di Mercato has opened in West University Place. A sister concept to Mercato and Company, a gourmet grocer that opened last year, the 30-seat, dinner-only restaurant aims to serve traditional Italian fare in an intimate environment. The menu features dishes such as saffron arancini, tuna crudo with passion fruit chili sauce, fettuccine with braised rabbit, smoked ricotta and spinach agnoloti, swiss chard-stuffed quail.

    Executive chef Mauricio Alvarado spent 16 years working for various Tony Vallone restaurants, including Ciao Bello, Vallone’s, and Tony’s. The Michelin Guide designated general manager Marco Thompson as Toronto’s sommelier of the year in 2023.

    The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30-9:30 pm. Reservations are available on Resy.

    Atlantic Ocean has opened in the former Passerella space at 6011 Washington Ave. Open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, the wide-ranging menu offers seafood dishes from around the globe.

    Starters include cornmeal-crusted crab cake, chargrilled oysters, clams calabrese, and Moroccan lamb shots. Entrees offer similar diversity, ranging from blackened redfish and grilled branzino with chimichurri and citrus mojo to a soy-martinated ribeye and lobster pasta that’s made with butter-poached claw meat.

    Chef-owner Virgil Harper is best known for Toast on Lenox, his acclaimed brunch concept in Atlanta. He’s joined in the kitchen by executive chef and partner Aliyah Watley.

    "Atlantic Ocean was created to deliver a dining experience where every detail feels intentional, from the quality of the seafood to the warmth of the service and the atmosphere around you,” Harper said in a statement. “Houston’s dynamic food culture makes it the perfect home for this concept, and we’re excited to share a menu that respects seafood traditions while bringing a fresh, creative perspective."

    Midtown pickleball bar Solarium has closed, according to its Instagram page. Opened in April 25, the bar transformed the former Holman Draft Hall space with six outdoor courts and five private rooms to watch the action.

    Solarium was a joint venture between the Kirby Group and Rex Hospitality, the restaurant group owned by Astros pitcher Lance McCullers, Jr. and his business partners, Juan Carlos de Aldecoa and Jimmy Doan. Earlier this year, Rex closed its Maven Coffee location in Sawyer Yards to concentrate on its wholesale business that sells coffee products such as cold brew concentrate.

    Other news and notes

    Zaranda, Hugo Ortega’s California-inspired restaurant in downtown, is now open Sunday. It will serve an a la carte brunch from 11 am-3 pm. Options include cornbread with Mandarin-honey butter; tostada de campechana with octopus, shrimp, raw oysters, cucumber, avocado, ancho-morita purée, Clamato, Maggi, soy, and olive oil; steak and eggs with refried beans, guacamole, salsa, and flour tortillas; Baja breakfast burrito with bacon, chorizo, scrambled eggs, potato, onion, salsa roja y verde, avocado, and cheese-crusted sobaquera; chilaquiles with shredded chicken, sunny-side-up eggs, totopos, salsa verde, crema, and housemade queso fresco; and more. It will also be open for dinner from 4-9 pm.

    Winsome Prime is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a limited time menu. The three-course, $50, prix fixe menu includes choices such as chili-glazed shrimp, crab beignets, spinach and artichoke dip, kung pao pasta, and chicken royale. Upgrade to the signature Hawaiian ribeye — a nod to the location once being home to Houston’s — for $10. Choose one of three desserts to complete the meal.

    Food events

    Doke concepts will host a series of guest chef dinners in April, May, and June. Each evening will begin with champagne and hors d’oeuvres at Lazy Land. Diners will then be driven to The Green Room for a three-course dinner, followed by dessert cocktails and s’mores at Heights & Co. The lineup includes chefs recognized by the Michelin Guide and the most recent winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Texas.

    • April 15: Joseph Geiskopf, chef and co-owner of The On’ry, a traveling culinary concept based out of Houston, formerly of Ciel and Credence
    • April 29: Kevin Fink, chef and co-owner of Emmer and Rye Hospitality, which operates Michelin-recognized restaurants Emmer & Rye, Hestia, Isidore, and others.
    • May 13: Louis Maldonado, a former Top Chef contestant who held one Michelin star at Cortez restaurant in San Francisco.
    • May 26: Thomas Bille, chef-owner of Belly of the Beast in Spring and 2025 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Texas
    • June 10: To be announced
    • June 24: Ryan Lachine, executive chef of State of Grace, formerly chef-owner of Riel

    Atlantic Ocean food spread

    Photo by Madelynne Grace

    Atlantic Ocean recently opened on Washington Avenue.

    “This dinner party series is designed to give our guests an upscale, unique dining experience while highlighting each of our restaurants' distinct personalities,” Doke Concepts owner Brian Doke said in a statement. “With the help of our incredible guest chefs, we’re confident we’re going to give our guests an unforgettable evening.

    Tickets will be available via the Lazy Lane website.

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