HelloFresh, the world’s top meal kit provider, found that Canadians are craving homegrown recipes and dishes. Topping food trends in Canada, Canadian cuisine has become the most searched-for cuisine in the nation for the first time in years. Canadians are craving the taste of home now more than ever.
- Throughout the past 5 years Canadian food has dominated online food trends, rising steadily to surpass American, Italian, and Mexican recipes
- Canadians are increasingly focused on eating healthier meals than they were pre-pandemic, as well as demonstrating a growing appetite for vegan dishes
- Comfort foods like garlic bread are still in high demand despite growing trends towards healthy eating
Recent surveys found that Canadian recipes that featured a balance of meat, veggies, and carbs were the most sought-after, indicating that Canadians are trying to adopt a more balanced diet in 2021. Over the past year, HelloFresh found that online searches for local, homegrown recipes and dishes dominated food trends in Canada, moving ahead of American, Italian and Mexican cuisine to most popular in the great white north. Together, these popular cuisines and their flavours represent a diverse palate of flavours that Canadians have been enjoying throughout the pandemic. The increased appetite for diverse flavours coincides with an increasing preference for balanced diets and healthier lifestyles.
With the pandemic came more time at home. This sparked an increased focus on healthy living and eating a more balanced diet. Throughout 2021, Canadians gave more thought to environmental stability, especially regarding how their food is made and where it comes from. This increased focus on healthy eating and sustainability has increased the popularity of home cooking across Canada. More Canadians making their own meals has led to a balanced approach to meal planning and preparation. Data from HelloFresh show a growing demand for vegan and vegetarian alternatives to Canada’s favourite dishes like soup, pasta, curry, and breakfast dishes.
This data shows that while healthy living and eating has become more popular, it doesn’t mean that the whole country has completely turned away from comfort food. Canadians still indulged themselves by reaching for classic comfort foods. The most popular comfort food searched on Google and Instagram is garlic bread, served on its own or as a side of pasta, soup, or stew. Garlic bread has only grown more popular since the pandemic began and the trends show that it continues to be the comfort food of choice across Canada. HelloFresh’s data shows that many Canadians are experimenting with how they make garlic bread at home, with recipes ranging from classic and cheesy, to pizza-style and even vegan garlic bread being widely searched for online.
Along with enjoying garlic bread, Canadians frequently cooked with lots of carbs. Basmati rice, yellow and sweet potatoes, and tortillas were Canada’s favourite carbs to cook with. These carbs were commonly made with popular choices like stews, wraps, soups, and baked dishes. These carbs are highly versatile and can be used in countless recipes, offering endless cooking options with a reliably filling energy source.
With Canada’s diverse palate and taste for homegrown recipes and dishes, the future of Canadian cuisine is looking bright. As these food trends show, Canadians are rediscovering home-cooking and the benefits of a healthy and balanced diet, with the occasional indulgence of comfort foods like garlic bread.
