In 2026, the way we eat feels both inventive and deeply familiar. For instance, comfort food is no longer an indulgence but rather a strategy. These recipes are built to soothe, nourish, and stretch the grocery budget in an era of grocery inflation. At the same time, high-quality proteins are moving from novelty to necessity, shaped by climate awareness and shifting dietary needs as processed foods meet their match. GLP-1 medications are quietly influencing not only the social sphere but the cooking world with extra virgin olive oil possibly becoming a solution.

Through it all though is a renewed sense for simple, high-quality ingredients that center around flavor, health, and tradition. Together, these shifts reveal that 2026 food trends are defined less by restriction or excess this year, and more so by resilience, intention, and pleasure in eating.

2026 Food Trends

Comfort Food

Comfort food is called that for a reason. Whether it’s a warming bowl of stew, a juicy burger, or a casserole in a hot pan, we crave comfort food when times are hard and stress is heavy. In a year like 2026, comfort foods are a must when tensions rise across the globe and your own personal battles take hold. We’ll see a rise in recipes that bring nostalgia and remind us of better times like our childhood.

Beat Grocery Inflation with Budget-Friendly Recipes

One of the scariest parts of entering a New Year is not knowing what is going to happen to the prices of everyday groceries. Will milk end up a nearly five dollars a gallon again? Will eggs reach into the double digits? Well, what we do know is that chicken, beans, canned fish, and pasta are all staying at a low cost. This means we’re loading up on recipes that utilize these ingredients in a variety of ways to infuse different cultural flavors into your dinner.

Feeding a Family in the Shifting Economy

Families are likely to feel the biggest impact of the shifting economy of 2026. Whenever you’re feeding more than just yourself and your partner, it’s difficult to come up with larger portions at an accessible price, while maintaining nutrition for young minds and bodies. In order to save more than a dime in 2026, we recommend taking tips from a real mom who spends each day feeding three wonderful children and a hungry hubby.

High Quality Protein and Analog Dining

You’re used to eating ground beef, chicken, and fish but did you know there are high-quality protein options that are better for you? Local beef, tinned fish, duck, pork, and quail are just a few of the selections that are shining in 2026. Cooking these meats at home is also a great way to take advantage of the analog age. In a world of chaos, analog media and ways of living help us to slow down and savor what we have. It’s hands-on, it’s tactile, and it’s essential to 2026.

Dietary Health

2026 is about being the best you that you can be. To help you feel just as good, you can follow a diet plan that takes your life and needs into consideration. Maybe you’re looking to cut out some meat, but not all. Or, maybe you’re thinking about giving keto a try but don’t know where to start. Each of these guides is designed to make starting a new diet as simple and as encouraging as possible. Remember as you dive in, there’s no “right” way to diet. It’s most important to listen to your body and supply it with what it needs.

Food as Medicine: Extra Virgin Olive Oil and GLP-1

In the New Year, we’re exploring the concept of Food as Medicine. This applies not only for diets but also for specific ingredients that can support a healthy lifestyle. You’ve probably heard a lot about GLP-1 in recent months and its ability to help you lose weight. But, before you go running for a shot, give extra virgin olive oil a chance. Olive oil naturally encourages your body to increase GLP-1 secretion without weekly injections. It’s also the reason you see olive oil used in the Mediterranean diet to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Food as Medicine: How to Cook, Sip, and Soothe with Ginger

You’ve probably heard how ginger can soothe a sore throat or a cold but there are plenty of other reasons to use ginger as well. In a year where taking care of ourselves takes priority, ginger can become a best friend for its support with nausea, inflammation, pain, gas, boating, and so much more. The best part is there are so many ways to use ginger besides just dropping it into a glass of hot water. Take our advice and see how ginger can shake up your life.

Story by Kylie Thomas

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When I was young and had a stomach bug, my parents always gave me ginger ale with cinnamon toast. My dad was loyal to Vernors, though I was more of a Canada Dry girl. Only as an adult did I realize he knew exactly what he was doing. 

I assumed ginger ale was just a gentle, clear, fizzy drink for an upset stomach. But there’s more to this remedy: ginger is one of the most widely used culinary plants with medicinal properties that go far beyond easing nausea. Its use in Southeast Asia and traditional systems of medicine dates back thousands of years, and modern research is rapidly catching up. 

How to Use Ginger as Medicine Through Cooking and Sipping

What Ginger Really Is (And Why That Matters) 

First, a quick correction: ginger isn’t a root—it’s a rhizome. 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a leafy, green, flowering plant that can grow several feet tall. The edible part grows horizontally underground, and while we casually call it “ginger root,” botanically it’s a rhizome, not a true root. Not all ornamental ginger plants produce an edible rhizome, but the culinary variety has become a global staple. 

Ginger thrives in warm, damp climates. Today, most of the fresh ginger sold in U.S. grocery stores comes from India, though it also grows abundantly in the Caribbean, China, Thailand, Peru, and Hawaii. 

Ginger in Traditional Medicine: Warming, Moving, Harmonizing 

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and many other traditional systems like Ayurveda, ginger is prized for its ability to bring harmony to the body. Its flavor is potent, warm, and comforting, and its actions on the body mirror that character. 

Ginger is considered “warming” and “moving.” It helps: 

• Dry internal “dampness” by improving circulation and fluid dynamics.
• Stimulate digestion by helping move food through the digestive tract.
• Support respiratory health by helping move mucus out of the lungs.
• Enhance circulation by improving blood flow through the vascular system.

That warming sensation you feel with ginger isn’t just flavor—it reflects a real thermogenic effect on circulation and metabolism. 

What Science Says: Ginger as Food-Medicine 

The traditional kitchen wisdom around ginger is increasingly supported by clinical research. Ginger is now one of the most studied culinary botanicals in the world. While my dad may not have read the clinical trials, his ginger ale choice aligned surprisingly well with the research scientists have been doing recently. 

Ginger as a Remedy for Nausea and Motion Sickness 

Ginger ale for a stomachache isn’t just an old family myth. Multiple modern studies show ginger can reduce nausea from a variety of causes: 

• Pregnancy-related nausea: Systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials have found that doses around 1 gram of ginger per day can significantly reduce nausea in early pregnancy, with few side effects for most people (e.g., Viljoen et al., 2014, Nutrition Journal; Thomson et al., 2014, Obstetrics & Gynecology). 
• Postoperative and chemotherapy-related nausea: Recent meta-analyses suggest ginger supplementation can modestly reduce nausea severity in some patients undergoing surgery or chemotherapy (Khorasani et al., 2020, Nutrition & Cancer; Apariman et al., 2021, Supportive Care in Cancer). 
• Motion sickness: Classic experiments (including the famous “swivel chair” style studies) have repeatedly shown ginger can reduce motion-induced nausea and vomiting, at times outperforming or equaling standard medications for mild motion sickness. 

Ginger as a Remedy for Inflammation, Pain, and Joint Health 

Ginger contains a family of active compounds, including gingerols and shogaols, that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. 

• Inflammation and pain: A 2020 systematic review in Pain Medicine found that ginger supplementation was associated with modest reductions in pain and disability in people with osteoarthritis, likely through inhibiting inflammatory pathways similar to some over-the-counter pain relievers. 
• Cellular protection: Ginger’s antioxidants help counter oxidative stress, a process linked to chronic diseases, aging, and environmental damage. Recent laboratory and clinical studies suggest ginger may have supportive roles in metabolic health, cardiovascular protection, and even cancer prevention, though these areas are still being actively researched and are not cures. 

Gingerol, the compound largely responsible for ginger’s spicy kick, can interrupt certain inflammatory processes and inhibit enzymes linked to pain and inflammation. 

Ginger as a Remedy for Gas, Bloating, and Gut Motility 

If pregnancy (or a heavy meal) is leaving you nauseous and gassy, ginger may help there, too. 

• Digestive motility: Clinical studies have shown that ginger can help food move more efficiently through the stomach, improving gastric emptying and reducing sensations of fullness and bloating (e.g., Wu et al., 2020, Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility). 
• Gas and cramping: Traditional medicine has long used ginger to ease gas and cramping; emerging research on its effects on gut motility and smooth muscle provides a plausible mechanism. 

In short, the “settling” effect people feel in their stomach after ginger tea or ginger ale is not just placebo. 

Choosing and Using Fresh Ginger in the Kitchen 

To bring ginger’s benefits into daily life, it helps to know how to choose, prep, and cook with it.  

Finding Fresh Ginger 

• Look in the refrigerated produce section. 
• The rhizome should be firm and plump, not shriveled 
• Look for smooth, taut, light-brown skin. 
• The ginger should feel heavy and plump.  

Prepping Fresh Ginger

• Remove the thin peel with a paring knife, vegetable peeler, or by scraping with the edge of a spoon (this works especially well if the ginger is very fresh). 
• Inside, you’ll find moist, fibrous, pale golden flesh. 
• Grate, mince, or slice it depending on your recipe. 
• For maximum flavor without the woody texture, grate ginger into cheesecloth (or a clean kitchen towel) and squeeze out the juice. Potent ginger juice is ideal for marinades, dressings, and cocktails. 

Dried and Ground Ginger: Concentrated Flavor, Convenient Medicine 

Ginger also appears in dried and ground form in the spice aisle. While we often associate ground ginger with pumpkin pie, cookies, and cakes, this form can have even stronger medicinal impact because it’s more concentrated by weight. 

Historically, once ginger traveled via the spice trade to Europe, its natural sweetness and warmth earned it a place in desserts and sweet breads. Legend (and Time Magazine) credit Queen Elizabeth I with popularizing the gingerbread figure—the ancestor of today’s holiday gingerbread man. 

How to Use Ground Ginger 

• In baking: cookies, cakes, quick breads, and pies 
• In savory dishes: rubs for roasted vegetables, curries, stews, and spice blends 
• In warm drinks: stir into hot water with honey and lemon, or add to chai-style tea 

Both fresh and dried ginger work beautifully in the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia—think curries, soups, stews, stir-fries, and dipping sauces. In medieval Europe, ginger was commonly used in sauces and condiments served with rich meats, both to balance flavor and to aid digestion of fatty foods. 

Today, ginger has moved beyond the holidays and appears year-round in everything from salad dressings to mocktails and cocktails. 

Ginger in Winter: Teas, Soups, and Simple Rituals 

Bitter cold winter days are the perfect time to play with ginger in the kitchen—and in your cup. To make ginger tea, use store-bought ginger tea bags, or simply slice fresh ginger and steep it in hot water for 5–10 minutes. Add honey and lemon for a throat-soothing, immune-supportive cup. 

Ginger Tea Can 

• Soothe sore throats 
• Take the edge off body aches 
• Warm you from the inside out 

Everyday Cooking Ideas

• Add grated ginger to classic soups like vegetable, chicken noodle, or miso. 
• Stir fresh or ground ginger into salad dressings with tamari, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. 
• Use ginger juice in marinades for fish, tofu, chicken, or root vegetables. 
• Shake ginger into winter cocktails or mocktails with citrus, sparkling water, or yes—high-quality ginger ale. 

Because ginger is so potent, you don’t need much: even a teaspoon or two a day can add both flavor and potential health benefits. 

A Note on Safety 

For most people, culinary amounts of ginger are very safe. In supplement form or high doses, some people may experience heartburn or mild digestive upset. If you’re pregnant, on blood-thinning medication, or managing a complex medical condition, talk with your healthcare provider before taking concentrated ginger supplements. 

Just as ginger brings harmony to body systems—warming, moving, drying, and soothing—it can also bring harmony to the kitchen, tying together savory, sweet, hot, and cold dishes with its complex flavor. 

On the days when you feel chilled, sluggish, or a little off, a simple ritual—a steaming mug of ginger tea, a gingery soup simmering on the stove, or even a well-made ginger ale—can be both comfort and quiet medicine. 

Ginger Recipes to Try for Yourself

Try TABLE Magazine’s fantastic recipes with ginger and see if you experience the health benefits of this ancient medicinal food.

Winter Cauliflower with Ginger and Turmeric Dressing

Farro with Beets, Greens & Ginger Dressing

Chamomile Ginger Poached Chicken

Banana Ginger Upside Down Cake

Gingerbread Cookies

Steamed Striped Bass with Ginger & Scallions

Haitian Ginger Tea

Ginger Mama Cake

Gingered Peach and Blackberry Pie

Explore Our Other Articles on 2026 Food Trends

• Comfort Food
• Beat Grocery Inflation with Budget-Friendly Recipes
• Feeding a Family in the Shifting Economy
• High Quality Protein and Analog Dining
• Dietary Health
• Food as Medicine: Extra Virgin Olive Oil and GLP-1

Story by Kristen Palmer
Photo Courtesy of Milada Vigerova

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.