By Rieva Lesonsky

The National Restaurant Association held its annual show a few weeks ago and Nation’s Restaurant News reported on the top 10 trends they discovered there. We’ve discussed some of these before, notably the gluten-free movement, the growing popularity of tea (which we also mentioned again last month) and the power of superberries.

Some of what NRN cites may sound familiar to you, but if you own (or aspire to start) a restaurant or catering company, you should be aware that these trends are still going strong.

NRN says many of the exhibitors at the show had “reworked their products” to meet new standards for healthier food for kids. Look for “baked snack chips made with whole grains, whole wheat crackers and granola clusters.”

Going tropical is hot. Flavors like “passion fruit, guava and especially mango” were popular for iced tea and dessert items. NRN says coconut was also a hit with dessert makers, which they say may be an offshoot of the immensely popular coconut water craze. And speaking of water, there were a number of “enhanced waters” on display. These have no calories and are fortified with vitamins. Also popular: “Water filtration systems, seltzer with splashes of fruit juice, aloe water and just plain bottled water (touting unique origins, of course).”

You should also keep an eye on foods, such as cheesecake, spinach dip and mac and cheese, made with the recent phenomenon Greek yogurt. And watch for salted caramel, which NRN reports was “available in ice creams, on cheesecake and in candies.”

Part 2 of a two-part Trendcast on Food Trends.

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