Bowl foods are predicted to be the next big thing in the foodie world for 2017. Yes, that's right. Foods that we eat out of bowls are now a full-blown trend.
According to new behavioral food science research, eating out of bowls can affect how your brain perceives the food and encourage you to make healthier choices. Not only do bowls restrict the amount of food in one serving, but the act of eating what you normally eat on a plate out of a bowl might make you more mindful of the food itself. So maybe the bowl trend is just one part of the larger health food trend.
Whatever the reason behind this new bowl craze, I've compiled a list of 17 delicious bowl foods (in alphabetical order) that you should be sure to check out in the new year.
1. Açaí bowls
This one you've surely heard about or seen on your Instagram before, but every indication points to its continued popularity in 2017. An açaí bowl is basically an extra thick smoothie made from açaí berries and topped with anything from fruit to granola to nuts.
2. Bánh mì bowls
Bánh mì is technically a Vietnamese type of bread, but in practice, the term has come to describe Vietnamese sandwiches typically comprised of meat and various slaw-style toppings. A bánh mì bowl is just all of the ingredients of a bánh mì sandwich minus the bread.
3. Bibimbap
Bibimbap is a Korean dish of warm white rice generally topped with namul (sautéed vegetables), gochujang (chili pepper paste), soy sauce or soybean paste, an egg and thinly sliced meat.
4. Breakfast bowls
A breakfast bowl can be comprised of any combo of breakfast foods, often including an egg in some form. Breakfast bowls are an opportunity to be creative with savory combinations of eggs, grains, avocado and other veggies that will definitely tide you over until lunch.
5. Buddha bowls
Buddha bowls are very similar to açaí bowls, but with more variety. They are marketed as hearty, filling dishes crafted from a variety of greens, raw or roasted veggies, beans and a healthy grain like quinoa or brown rice. Sometimes they also include toppings like nuts, seeds, fruit and yogurt for added levels of texture and flavor.
6. Burrito bowls
Burrito bowls are a classic that aren't going anywhere anytime soon. (Yes, Chipotle is now technically part of a new 2017 food trend.) Burrito bowls offer a healthier alternative to the traditional burrito by maintaining all of the toppings, but removing the tortilla wrap, which adds a couple hundred calories.
7. Cabbage bowls
A cabbage bowl is a warm salad of whatever toppings you'd like (often roasted veggies and bacon) over a bed of Brussels sprouts, napa cabbage, bok choy or another cabbage base.
8. Eggplant bowls
Eggplant bowls are dishes served in a halved eggplants. Often topped with other veggies and shaved cheese and baked in the oven, eggplant bowls are a fun, veggie-friendly alternative to traditional carb-heavy dishes.
9. Lentil bowls
Lentil bowls are simple, savory dishes built on top of a bowl of lentils. Who knew lentils could be good for more than soup? These bowls are often a base for playing with complex flavors and textures, like crisp radicchio and crunchy walnuts.
10. Pepper bowls
Similar to eggplant bowls, pepper bowls are the classic stuffed peppers: a dish served in a hollowed-out bell pepper. They often include rice (or another grain), cheese and veggies, and are baked in the oven. As shown in this fun Halloween dish, patterns or designs can be cut into pepper bowls for an added artistic flair.
11. Pho bowls
An oldie but goodie in the foodie world: if you don't know pho, you just haven't been paying attention. A popular Vietnamese street food, pho is a soup of broth, noodles, herbs and meat that has recently skyrocketed in popularity in the U.S.
12. Quinoa bowls
Quinoa is one of my favorite superfoods, and it has the perfect unassuming flavor to dress it up however you like--with cilantro, Craisins, nuts, cheese or veggies, for example. Although this grain enjoyed its huge spike in popularity a couple years ago, the bowl trend is giving it another claim to fame.
13. Ramen
Ramen is a Japanese dish of noodles and broth. Originally famous for its cheapness (hence its popularity among broke college students), ramen has more recently become an elevated, restaurant-quality dish, with restaurants popping up in major cities across the U.S. serving just artisan versions of this simple noodle broth.
14. Rice bowls
Otherwise known as fried rice, rice bowls are a tried and true classic that's coming back in style, full force. My dad and I like to combine lots of different leftovers, pantry items and refrigerator finds into our fried rice dishes, making them a sort of anything-goes option for a weekday dinner.
15. Salad bowls
Okay, I'll admit that this one isn't really part of the new bowl trend (since it's just an everyday salad), but it can still be served up in a bowl, right?! I prefer to build my salads from spinach or arugula, with some dried cherries, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds and a light vinaigrette.
16. Sushi bowls
A similar idea to the burrito bowl, sushi bowls are basically just deconstructed sushi rolls. The seaweed strips add an interesting texture (honestly, I like to snack on them by themselves) that leaves you feeling as if you're truly getting all the parts of an everyday sushi roll, just without the rolled shape.
17. Yakitori bowls
Yakitori is a Japanese type of skewered chicken. (As my mom likes to say, all food is better on a stick.) These bowls generally include the chicken skewers along with rice and veggies, all topped with a fried egg. These bowls haven't quite made their splash in mainstream restaurants, but keep an eye out for them in the coming year.
I'm generally a big fan of eating out of a bowl. It may be a psychological trick that makes the feeling of holding a bowl more enjoyable than a plate, but I'm on board for it—and it seems like the rest of the foodie world is, too.