Vegetarianism, veganism, kale, avocado, and the like have all added a lot to our healthy eating. These are all food trends, some of which have developed over the past five years into popular trends in everyday eating. The same goes for the kosher guidelines followed by adherents of the Jewish diet.
As food trends develop, these trends are expected to rise again in 2016 and 2017. Why does people's interest in kosher food continue to rise? And what will this mean for the development of the food industry?
Healthy eating
The rising trend of kosher-certified food is mainly because it is considered healthy eating. The rise of food trends usually stems from increased consumer awareness rather than a real everyday dietary need. As people begin to realize that an everyday kosher diet benefits their health, the consumption of kosher food has been rising.
For the needs of vegetarians, eating kosher food makes them feel safer, because there are no hidden meat ingredients in the products. Moreover, people believe kosher food is healthier because kosher certification involves stricter screening of food ingredients. The Parve kosher mark on food packaging indicates that the product contains no meat ingredients at all. Fruits and vegetables are also carefully selected and prepared, especially leafy products such as lettuce and cabbage.
From a nutritional standpoint, we cannot say that a kosher diet is healthier. However, from the standpoint of full disclosure of raw materials and peace of mind, it is a healthier choice. Transparency is indeed a major advantage of kosher food.
Culinary wisdom
Another driver of this surge in popularity comes from the culinary industry. Chefs are the driving force behind this trend, developing new recipes to honor this tradition and building a connection with the past through cuisine. This is happening in cities with large Jewish communities - major American cities such as New York - and has spread to the shores of the UK and Europe.
The future of Kosher
With the rising trend of the kosher diet, more and more products and companies will need to obtain kosher certification. Manufacturers need to keep up with the times and obtain certification to benefit from the latest developments in consumer dietary trends. Those who follow suit will surely benefit in the long run.
So, in the long run, will kosher become the next food trend like "gluten-free"? All signs point to yes. Like all trends, it will only grow stronger over time.