Side dishes will no more be considered as a mere side dish, because nowadays people are taking more interest in their choice of side dish. Here I will give you some idea on the top 10 side dish trends in 2011, so that you can watch out for these preparations while you serve food to your guests or you visit a restaurant. These food trends for the coming year, depicts that now people are choosing healthy and natural foods instead of any other choice. Being a health conscious person, you will also find this list quite logical and proper.

Top 10 Side Dish Trends in 2011

1. Seasonal Food – Gone are the days, when you used to eat mangoes only in summer or tomatoes only in winter. Nowadays, you can buy them even in the off season; however the taste differs a lot. Consuming a freshly harvested vegetable or fruit is definitely much tasty and nutritious. With this understanding, people are changing their mind for the coming year and they are planning to stick to the seasonal items only.
2. Food From Garden – Food from your own garden is something, which we are going to enjoy in 2011. As per the food trends, more and more people are gaining interest in growing their own vegetable garden, no matter how small the size is. You can be growing the garden at your farm or backyard or in pots, but these crops have different values than the ones bought from the market.
3. Roasted Dish – Roasting was not too common way of cooking till last year. People used to prefer grilled or fried over the roasted items. But now they are enjoying the blended flavor of a variety of food items. Roasting also keeps the nutrients intact and it is much easier to serve them with a little bit of seasoning.
4. Potato – Potato has remained a popular entry for ever. In 2011 also, potato has not lost its credibility. You can eat potato by any means – fry, bake, roast, boil, mash or whatever. In the coming year, experiment with this vegetable to present something unique and new on the dinner table.
5. Rice – This oriental staple grain is gradually becoming popular in almost every household. Now you can enjoy a large variety of choices for rice including plain white rice, black rice, brown rice, red rice etc. There are a wide range of preparations, which you can cook with rice. Add your favorite ingredients to it and cook a meal in minutes.
6. Regional Food – Regional foods are no more limited to the specific regions for the next year. People are learning more about different types of foods and taking interest to try with them. May be the history or stories related to these foods influence them. It is also going to be a new attraction on the dinner table from your regular, normal menu.
7. Root Vegetables – Root vegetables were not so popular even 5 years back. But, now people are learning about the food values of these vegetables and incorporating them in various ways to prepare the side dishes. The food trends of 2011 shows that these are going to be quite popular for their bountiful nutrition properties.
8. Ethnic and Traditional – With the increasing popularity of the International cuisines from various parts of world, people are more enjoying a combination of different culinary styles. Nowadays, a traditional beef steak can go perfect with an oriental rice preparation. So, learn about ethnic and traditional recipes from around the world and prepare a unique combination for every meal of the day.
9. Less Animal Protein – Protein is no more considered as a top ranking nutrient. It is important, but then there are other important nutrients also. Meat and other non-vegetarian foods are losing their popularity and vegetarian foods are being priority. As per the food trends, people will prefer to go meatless for at least a day in a week, instead enjoy proteins from vegetables.
10. Vibrant Colors – With the initiation of the next decade of 21^st century, people are choosing colorful vegetables. This might be for two reasons – one is definitely the vibrant colors attract the buyers and secondly, now we know that colorful vegetables are full of useful nutrients including antioxidants. So, spend your time in grocery to pick up the vegetables in a range of colors and serve them in proper shades.

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