Current food trends are much different from what they used to be in rural Virginia

GardenPhoto byJonathan KemperonUnsplash

I grew up in Sussex County, Virginia. My family and I ate vegetables from the garden, fish from the pond, nuts from trees, and berries from bushes.

BlackberriesPhoto byEric ProuzetonUnsplash

We did not eat meat at every meal. We usually ate chicken from the yard for our traditional Sunday dinner. Occasionally, our meat came from farm animals such as pigs and cows. Sometimes, our food came from squirrels or deer in the woods. We ate eggs from the chicken coop. We made bread, cakes, and pies from scratch.

Current food trends

Some of the most popular food trends today are much different than they used to be.

• Eating plant-based foods is expected to continue in 2024, with consumers eating tofu, cottage cheese, beans, and bread.
• Ordering food via Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats is popular.
• Take-home meals from restaurants are frequent.
• The pandemic led to a rise in digital cooking.
• There is a growing desire for healthier, natural foods.