The food trends we loved and loathed in 2016

Just when we thought croissants couldn’t get any better, along came stuffed croissants. Buttery pastry packed with tasty fillings, these baked morsels definitely get our tick of approval.

Okay, so we don’t loathe Vegemite chocolate, but we couldn’t help feeling there were better (and more delicious) ways to use Australia’s favourite spread. Instead of mixing it with chocolate, we prefer our vegemite stuffed into a cheesy scroll.

What’s not to love about mug cakes? This baking phenomenon brought us closer than ever to our favourite treat. Chocolate cake in just 90 seconds? Who can’t get on board with that?

When insect flour — usually made from crickets — came on the scene this year, we tried to keep an open mind. And while we can appreciate the extra protein found in insect flour, it’s just so hard to get excited about baking your favourite cake with crickets, no matter how good they are for you!

We’ve long loved regular bliss balls, but 2016 was the year we also embraced the savoury bliss ball trend. No longer are these spherical snacks used as a healthier way to satisfy your sweet cravings, but they’re now one of our fave finger foods and lunchbox fillers. Sweet or savoury, we could eat bliss balls all day long.

Cockroach milk was touted as the next big thing in 2016. Believed to be highly nutritious, especially compared to cow’s milk, cockroach milk was labeled by some scientists as the next superfood. Even so, we don’t think we’ll be pouring it on our cereal any time soon.

While many new health foods emerged in 2016, a few fast food trends also caught our eye, including loaded fries. It seems sprinkling of salt doesn’t cut it any more — fries are fast-becoming the new nachos as restaurants top them with meat, cheese, gravy and all manner of tasty extras. Sceptical? Try these cheeseburger fries.

In other food news this year, scientists called out duckweed as a possible new source of protein for humans. Researchers in London investigated whether the green slime found floating on the city’s canals could be a sustainable and eco-friendly way to feed future populations. While we can totally appreciate the sentiment behind the research, we think we’ll reserve judgement until they’ve figured out a way to grow it in a pollution-free environment.

Foodies across the world spent 2016 reinventing one of our favourite vegetables: the sweet potato. Among all the new dishes we came across, sweet potato toast is one of our favourites. Plus, it’s a great way to cut down on processed carbs while still enjoying a substantial meal. We love it!