(photo: courtesy of Excitations.com)

JWT ranks as the world's largest advertising agency and it makes sense that they would have a staff member on board who's specialty is predicing future trends. 

Ann Mack is just that person-- Director of Trendspotting at JWT and she has outlined several key food & dining trends that will become even more visible as 2008 morphs into 2009:

(1)  Dieting it out, good nutrition is in:  Weight-conscious consumers will opt for smarter lifestyles and healthier food choices in 2009 rather than going on the latest quick-fix diet.

(2)  Home Cooking is back in style:  as early as May of 2008, the Food Marketing Institute found that 71 percent of Americans were cooking in more often and eating out less . Mack sees that consumers will continue to revert to some old-time habits like canning, dining at home for economy's sake, and enrolling in cooking classes.

(3)  More gluten-free foods:  A 15-25 percent growth in gluten-free foods is predicted in the US over the next few years, with weight loss and improvement of digestive health among the many benefits of a gluten-free diet.

(4)  Sous-vide cooking gains in popularity:  the Sur La Table chain recently started offering sous vide appliances as this cooking process gains widespread appeal --sealing ingredients in special plastic for cooking in hot water,  to require less fat for the cooking process yet retaining a juicy, intensely flavorful dish.

(5)  Precise sourcing:  Mack predicts consumers will continue to focus on buying local foods whenever possible and insist on knowing exactly where foods are coming from, primarily for food-safety reasons.

(6)  Certified Fish is in:  with overfishing already a concern in 2008, restaurants and suppliers, notes Mack, will increasingly buy from fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, avoiding the most vulnerable species like bluefin tuna, Chilean sea bass and swordfish. Wal-Mart has already pledged to make a full switch to certified fisheries by 2011 and the Maine lobster trap fishery is the latest group to ask for MSC certification.

(7)  Peruvian cocktails:  2008 saw the return of the absinthe cocktail, banned since 1921 -- 2009 will see the ongoing popularity of Peru's national cocktail, the "Pisco Sour", made with brandy, lemon juice, egg whites, simple syrup and bitters.

Until our next food find... may all your food finds be fabulous!