Figuring Out What's Behind Seven Recent Food Trends

Sep 17, 2025

Join chef and cookbook author Evan Kleiman as he dives into the fascinating world of food trends. He unpacks the rise of Nashville hot chicken and why every restaurant must have a Brussels sprouts dish. Discover how food reflects cultural values and societal shifts, from the evolution of comfort foods to the burgeoning popularity of tinned fish. With insights on marketing strategies and nostalgic flavors, Evan makes food culture compelling and relatable, ensuring you'll feel inspired to explore new culinary delights!

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ANECDOTE

Real Recession Meals On TikTok

Kleiman describes TikTok 'recession meals' as often reality-based content from people under financial pressure.
He contrasts that with performative creators who imitate thrift for views.

INSIGHT

Control Through Thrifty Cooking

People make recession-content to regain control and prepare for uncertainty.
Kleiman links the trend to a return to homemade food as both thrift and comforting ritual.

ADVICE

Make Grain+Bean+Greens Bowls

Embrace simple plates like grain + bean + green to stretch ingredients and simplify meals.
Kleiman and Anne Helen recommend one-bowl meals as versatile, thrifty staples.

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I love talking about food as culture — and like all parts of culture, food has trends that ebb and flow. We asked you to provide us with food trends you’ve noticed (and/or confuse you) — and then we asked the great Evan Kleiman (chef, cookbook author, and longtime host of KCRW’s Good Food) to come unwind them with us. Want to know what it takes for a dish to show up at every corporate catering event? Why every restaurant in the U.S. (still) has a brussels sprouts dish? How hot chicken got franchised? WE’VE GOT YOU. This episode is filled with delights (and will make you want to browse expensive tinned fish online).

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Show Notes:

Learn more about Evan Kleiman’s storied career here
Listen to GOOD FOOD on KCRW!
Follow Evan on Instagram:
An example of the “recession meal” TikToks:
The hot chicken Bitter Southerner piece I reference
The Amanda Mull piece I reference (and summarize poorly): The United States is Southern Now
A good background piece on the tinned fish boom
Mangos are the world’s most popular fruit!!!!
“Meet SoCal’s Premier Mango Seller”
A great overview of the rise of Crumbl

We’re currently looking for your questions for future episodes about:

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All things Love is Blind with Audie Cornish
Different Modalities of Hanging Out (aka, best ways to hang out with different people) with Mary HK Choi
Baseball Culture (with Ali Liebegott and Melody as additional co-host!!!)
The history/utility/culture of OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE GEAR with Avery Trufelman (of Articles of Interest)
What an actually family-friendly society would look like (with Elliot Haspel)
An ADULT HOBBIES crossover episode with Forever35!
Anything you need advice or want musings on for the AAA segment. You can ask about anything, it’s literally the name of the segment!
As always, you can submit them (and ideas for future eps) here