Spice up your new year

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Adams Extract and Spices has labeled what it considers to be the top eight food trends of 2013, which fall into two categories: health and wellness and budget friendly.

Health and Wellness

• "Gluten Free" - more consumers are understanding the importance of less gluten for better digestive health. Consumers will be looking for more gluten free products and recipes / our products are gluten free - will have a few extract and spice items out
• "Shake the Salt" - reducing sodium in the American diet is growing in importance.   Most of our sodium consumption comes from fast food and processed foods.  We believe the first step is cooking fresh foods properly prepared and seasoned at home.  One way to cut the sodium is to throw out the salt shaker and replaced it with equal parts garlic powder, ground black pepper, and onion powder.  You'll never miss the salt in preparation and at the table / I'll have a salt shaker with the blend in it along with the bottle samples of our garlic, onion, and ground pepper. 
• "Meatless Mondays" -  you'll also see heartier vegetables replacing meats. Even if it's just once a week, consumers can put vegetables in the center of the plate by serving things such as Portobello mushroom burgers, zucchini pizzas, and spinach lasagna / I'll have a sample of zucchini pizzas prepared
• "Kickin Up That Chicken" - concerns over healthier eating has prompted consumer to use more chicken in place of red meat which has created a tremendous demand for more versatile and creative chicken recipes.  More spice and herb blends are available to allow consumers to try different flavors and cooking techniques on chicken / I'll have product samples of our Culinary Tonight Kicked Up Chicken, Adams Reserve Jamaican Rub, Adams Spice Cajun and Lemmon Pepper Seasoning Blends

Economy Driven - Budget friendly and nostalgic/homemade resurgence

• "Move over caramel - burnt sugar is here" - this traditional cooking method that dates back for decades has found a new following.  It's sweeping kitchens across the nation in more traditionally dessert recipes such as cakes, pies and glazes but also savory recipes such as burnt sugar chicken chili / I'll have a slice of homemade vanilla cake with burnt sugar glaze
• "Creative Canning" - increase in homegrown and homemade foods has taken the art of canning to a whole new level.  Canning is one of the most popular interests on Pinterest / I'll have a sample of home canned corn relish and candied jalapenos
• "Family Pantry" - As the sluggish economy drives on, families are finding new ways to step up the flavor of classic comfort foods.  Back yard burgers are going gourmet (such as Asian Tuna Burgers), meatloaf is not what your mamma made (such as Tex Mex Meatloaf), and mac-n cheese is going fusion (here's a sample of our favorite) / I'll have a sample of our favorite Philly Mac - N - Cheese Steak
• "Homemade Hostess" -  you my not be able to buy that #1 classic combination of Chocolate and vanilla crème, but that doesn't stop you from making your own!  Adams Extract & Spice is celebration it's 125th Birthday this year and what better way to acknowledge that than to have a 125th Birthday Cupcake recipe - we all have a birthday, why not make it a delicious one! / I'll have a sample of our 125th Birthday Crème filled cupcake that anchor can try