Yelp Predicts Pickles Will Be The Main Course In 2023

It's the time of year when every gourmet begins to wonder: What food trends are about to take over 2023? What's the dish everyone's going to be cooking? What's the item guaranteed to show up on all the menus? 

In 2022, Food Network predicted that plant-based fish, coffee alternatives, and cannabis-infused foods would be all the rage. Of course, some of those predictions play out and some of them don't. We can really only see what was correct once we reach the end of the year and take stock of what actually happened. Now that we're nearing the end of 2022, we can look at some of the best food trends of the year and see that, while plant-based fish maybe didn't make a splash, tinned fish certainly did, per Vogue. And as far as coffee alternatives go, green tea and energy drinks were in demand, as a November press release from tech research firm Technavio reported.

As we look to 2023 and what food items and ingredients might make the top trends, several publications agree on one thing: Pickles, while hardly anything new on their own, are going to be making a big impact in a new way.

According to Yelp's report on predicted 2023 food trends, pickled-flavored foods are gaining more and more popularity — which means you can expect to see pickles and pickle flavoring showing up in a variety of unexpected spots, like in your cocktail or ice cream. Yelp said online searches for pickle-flavored foods are already up by more than half compared to last year.

Yelp isn't the only one predicting big things for pickles, though. The National Restaurant Association likewise published its 2023 menu forecast recently and found that pickles were popping up in what it calls "cooling items" for 2023 (or items that are fads rather than real trends, but popular just the same), mentioning both pickle pizza and pickled french fries. Fad or not, luckily, if you're excited for more pickles in your life in the coming year, there are plenty of ways to enjoy them, no matter what your favorite brands and restaurants do. Just check out these 13 types of pickles perfect for snacking and how you can make your own pickles at home.