Growing up in a family that cooks every day, I’ve come to learn that there really is no limit on what you can do to food. Innovations these days come in the form of creating something new from something tried and true. A tweak here, an alteration there, a personal flair throughout, and a new dish is born. And that’s where the beauty lies.
During this dynamic time, I’ve noticed that consumers are getting more experimental in their kitchens. Due to high demand, shoppers need to get creative when it comes time to cook with unfamiliar or uncommon produce. Retailers are right there to offer alternatives and substitutes to help fill the ingredients gap while also pointing interested shoppers to new experiences. As more consumers experiment, new favorites are formed.
Suppliers and growers have caught onto this trend, and the industry saw a rise in niche products, such as dragon fruit, microgreens, and watermelon radishes. With more consumers cooking from home, a plethora of new and unique recipes have popped up all over social media. This new and open mindset has allowed different varieties to come forth as ready options on consumers’ radar. Need onions? Try a leek instead. Looking for spaghetti? Spaghetti squash is both fun to make and healthy to eat in any pasta dish.
In my opinion, we can all learn to cook unconventionally. How else are new dishes born? If it weren’t for creators thinking outside of the box, we wouldn’t know of avocado ice cream, sweet potato hummus, or cauliflower pizza. There is no limit to how new creations are formed because each dish is an embodiment of the creator. Retailers and foodservice operators can be the sous-chefs and mentors to these culinary discoveries.
We are living in a special time where unconventional is worth exploring, and consumers are doing just that. By adding something simple like dates or combining polarizing ingredients like pumpkin spice and mac and cheese, chefs—professional or at-home—can create something new and flavorful. For when it comes to cooking, the possibilities are endless. 
