mamaearthrocks.com

Move over meat — you're no longer the center-of-the-plate star. Now there's a new approach, with meat viewed as a condiment or left out entirely at mealtime. While we may not become a country full of committed vegetarians, expect to see more people choose to eat meat less often, predicts Dawn Jackson Blatner, a dietitian and author of "The Flexitarian Diet." Meat will be increasingly viewed as optional as more people opt for plant-based plates dominated by whole grains, beans, nuts and vegetables. The triple concerns over our health, the environment and the economy will help drive this trend, Blatner said. Checkout my Yummy Smokey Tempeh Pear Sandwich Recipe recently featured on Meatless Monday.

This year will bring the mainstreaming of sustainability, predicts Kay Logsdon, editor of The Food Channel, a Web site devoted to food. Before 2009, many people didn't even know what the word "sustainable" meant; now it has become a priority — or at least shoppers are making small steps, she said. Expect to see more green restaurants and eco-labeling on foods, including carbon footprint, water footprint, food miles, biodegradable packaging and fair trade. Eating "local" will still be in vogue, but the definition will be expanded to make it more practical and realistic.
Note to Self in 2010 - Vegan Diet is the Lowest Carbon Diet.

With concerns about health care likely to remain, people will intensify their efforts to stay well. Increasingly this will mean looking to food as a solution. Research conducted by HealthFocus International indicates that shoppers have a growing desire to control their own health and "live long and live strong." The single greatest concern of shoppers is retaining mental sharpness as they age, according to the research. That means we can expect to see even more foods and beverages touting brain-related benefits. Other big claims will focus on immunity, heart disease, arthritis, eye health and the ability to "detox." A Vegan Diet is Healthy for M.E. Healthy for Mother Earth...