• Keeping it Real – In a back-to-basics economy, it is natural to return to basic ingredients. This isn’t about retro or comfort food. It’s not even about cost. It’s about determing the essentials and stocking your pantry accordingly. It’s about pure, simple, clean and sustainable – a shift from convenience foods to scratch cooking.

• Experimentation Nation – People are redefining what going “out” to eat means. Gastropubs, fusion dining, shareables and communal tables are all being tried. Experimentation is the trend so we’ll see restaurant concepts come and go.

• More in Store – Growth is predicted in grocery stores, particularly as private label assumes prominence. Those old generics have morphed into their own brands. Grocery stores are also upgrading delis and fresh take-out sections, all the way to returning butchers to a place of prominence.

• American, the New Ethnic – This is all about flavor delivery. Immigration has come to the plate and we are now defining a new Global Flavor Curve. The latest flavors are coming from the great American melting pot. So it’s about grandma’s food, but the recipes may be written in Japanese.

• Food Vetting – You are what you eat! Leading this trend is our constant need for assurance that we are eating the right things, that our food is safe, that we are not ingesting pesticides or anything that will someday prove harmful. Whether you call it food vetting or sourcing, the issue is that people are asking where their food comes from.

• Mainstreaming Sustainability – America is just now learning how to be sustainable and Americans are holding themselves responsible. In 2010 we’ll see people and companies becoming sustainable for authentic reasons.

• Food with Benefits – Nutritional – healthful – good-for-you – the trend toward beneficial foods is growing. Expect food to either have nutrients added or have the word “free” (gluten-free, allergy-free).

• I Want My Umami – The “foodie” has settled into a more universal designation of someone who loves food – not a food snob. They are just as likely to want a PB&J as they are to try to latest soft shell crab sushi. And they may put French fries on it! The point is experimentation and a willingness to try new things.

• Will Trade for Food – What do we do in a bad economy when we have more time than money and skills that we still want to put to use? We barter. The Food Channel predicts we’ll all see more of the barter system come into play now that technology can assist with connections.

• I, Me, Mine – While sharing has come into its own in restaurant concepts, there is a separate but equal trend toward individuality. It’s part of the reason why we are making our own cheese, smoking our own meats and making our own specialty desserts. Expect more attention to the individual, but not just about portion size – it’s also about food that reflects personality.

February 12 – NAFFS Winter Meeting, The French Culinary Institute, NY, N.Y.

March 11 – California Meeting, Crowne Plaza, Anaheim, Cal.