What will we be eating in summer 2021?

Vegetables will make up a big part of our diet this summer, says Dinesh Patel. As lockdown restrictions ease, it can be assumed that outdoor dining will be the latest trend! Photo: Free-Photos/Pixabay

Last year was a gastronomical rollercoaster. From everyone’s obsession with baking banana bread to whipping Dalgona coffee, it is safe to say that the food trendsetters of 2020 were a nationwide lockdown and a viral social media application.

As Boris Johnson promises that this summer will not be spent under lockdown, it is possible that the food industry will once again start to flourish, and with it, so will the trends. According to MasterChef India finalist Dinesh Patel, the summer will bring a “huge focus on home cooking that’s healthier”. As things start to open up, the London-based pastry chef believes that “people will want to get back into shape, so a lot of that vegan produce will be popular”.

“Hopefully in June,” he says, “we will see a great deal of outdoor cooking trends because, for us Brits, having those food barbecues in the summer is everything.”

Nutritionist Alex Joseph also thinks that healthy eating and veganism will be the number one trend of the upcoming summer season.

Alex also brings up alcoholic sparkling water, saying that as the hot summer season approaches people will be “more aware of the 'empty calories' from alcohol and the lockdown weight gain. So, what better way to have your cake and eat it too than refreshing, low calorie, alcoholic drinks?”

Dinesh also adds that TikTok recipes will not be going anywhere this summer, except that as the lockdown eases, their focus will be on “group sharing [of] platters or outdoor recipes”.