What’s Trending in Food for 2015

Food has always been a national obsession, after all, we can't live without it, but food trends can sometimes be goofy and weird.

Here's what's trending in food for the coming year, according to the people at Flavor and the Menu magazine. The best news is that kale (pictured) is out while ranch dressing is in, which is good because I guzzle that stuff by the gallon.

Whether it’s Kale or burgers or Quinoa, each year those of us who love to eat out are often bombarded by so-called food trends of the times. So, are you wondering what you’ll see on menus in 2015? Well, according to the editors of Flavor & The Menu, one of those things just may be ranch dressing. That’s right, a new respect for ranch is one of the magazine’s Top 10 Trends, along with modernized brunches, and fast-casual Italian food.

The Top Trends for 2015 include:

New Brunches – More and more hotspots will be embracing brunch, and offering “edgier fare” with global flavors, not to mention all day breakfast.

Savory Jams – Forget strawberry and grape, tomato, onion and bacon jams will be all the rage.

Italian Fast-Casual -  You no longer need to sit for a three course Italian meal since build your own items like pasta bowls and salads will be everywhere.

Feel-Good Cuisine – Guess you’ll no longer have to feel guilty about that plate of fried food. More menus will feature items that make people feel good about what they’re putting into their bodies.

Low Alcohol Drinks – Sounds like a waste to us, but more craft-cocktail joints will start serving drinks with lower alcohol contents to appeal to designated drivers, and daytime drinkers.

Ranch Dressing – Forget Hidden Valley, more restaurants are coming up with their own Ranch blends, like white-bean ranch, or Siracha ranch.

Modern German – Sausages, krauts, pretzels and mustards, but with a modern twist, yum.

Toast – It’s not just for butter anymore. Expect to see toasts with different kinds of spread and toppings.

Maple – Expect it to be on more than just your breakfast menu.

Fusion Desserts – The donut met the croissant to become a cronut, and those type of things are likely to continue happening.

As long as Kale is so yesterday, I’m okay with it.

Do you pay attention to food trends? What would you love to see make a big come back at restaurants? What food trends are you totally over?