As a chef, it is important to be familiar with restaurant and food trends. With the help of McCormick & Company, a Fortune 1000 herb, spice, and flavor manufacturer, Today’s World Kitchen brings to you some food trends of 2017 to look for when eating out, cooking a meal for a banquet party, or preparing a hearty meal at home.

Breakfast is Where It’s At – As one of the most surprising food trends of 2017, McCormick predicts cooking fans will take a step above and beyond boring breakfast. Congee, a Middle Eastern creamy rice porridge, goes great with warm spices and fruit juices. A Sorghum grain bowl, a whole grain native to Africa, has a nutty flavor with a hearty texture. This dish is similar to cereal, gluten-free, and goes great with almond milk and cinnamon.

Egg Yolks – Although breakfast really is where it’s at, eggs can make it past the first meal of a day in many different dishes, adding protein and a completely different flavor to dinner. Another one of Today’s World Kitchen and McCormick’s predictions considering food trends of 2017 is the egg yolk in a bowl or broth or tomato sauce. Adding a fried or poached egg to a hearty stock makes for great lunch or dinner. Another way to incorporate egg yolks into your meals in the upcoming year is by curing them. Pack in the salt and other spices of your choice, cure your eggs for several days, and eventually your yolk with be firm enough to shave over any dish of your choice, such as a pasta or a salad.

Fats – Fat has had a bad rep over the past few years, as far as health and nutrition go. However, Today’s World Kitchen reports that due to recent studies, the right kinds of fats hold great nutrition, provide energy, and improve brain function. Add some avocado or nuts to any dish to incorporate more fat into your diet to follow our third of the food trends of 2017.

Bolder Sauces – Today’s World Kitchen agrees that adding sauces, to any dish, can perfectly top off the meal. Whether the sauce if a little drizzle or perfect for dipping, sauce can enhance every meal. Some of the bold sauces McCormick suggests are a mojo verde, adobo negro, or romesco. Each sauce comes from a Spanish background and goes extremely well with meat, burgers, vegetables, seafood, poultry, or any other dish most commonly served as a dinner.

Healthier Options – Being on a health kick for years now, American’s are looking for the healthier options of their favorite foods and beverages. Less sugars and more natural ingredients are submerging in our culture.

There are many more different upcoming trends you can familiarize yourself with. Discover new flavors and incorporate them into your regular meals with these trends from Today’s World Kitchen and McCormick & Company. To keep up with delicious recipes, information for chefs, and more food trends of 2017, check out our blog.