London Food Trends: Bowl Food

You may have noticed, in the last few years that being served food on a plate is becoming a rarity. Bowls and coupes (a shallow bowl), amongst others, are becoming a popular way to serve food both in restaurants, events and at home.

John Lewis has stated that sales of bowls are up 18 percent compared with the same period last year. They are now selling 28 per cent more bowls than dinner plates.

Bowl Food Trend

Where has this trend for bowl food come from? Anna Berry, head of buying for cook and dine in John Lewis told theTelegraph,it’s down to, ‘a combination of a lifestyle and a change in food trends, but people are just more casual in the way they dine.’ Berry also cites the trend for eating on the sofa rather than at the table.

The type of food we are eating is also changing. As a nation, we are coming away from eating meat with two veg and embracing food from all over the world most of which is better in a bowl, like pasta, noodles, rice dishes and salads.

Social media is also responsible for the rise of bowl food trend. Instagram and Pinterest are awash with pictures of bowl foods, this is down to two reasons; the food looks better in a bowl when photographed and it can be linked to the ‘clean eating’ craze that is spearheaded by the likes of the Hemsley sisters and Ella Mills (AKA Deliciously Ella). These social media food celebrities picture most of their health-conscious food in bowls. 

Serving bowl food at your event

Bowl food are ideal for informal events, your guests can mingle like in a canape reception and have a satisfying meal at the same time. 

Popular dishes served in bowls include

• Curries
• Sausage and mash
• Paella
• Braised meat with mash or crushed new potatoes
• Pasta 
• Salads

Top tips for serving bowl food

• When serving bowl food keep the portion sizes around a quarter of the size of a main course
• Meat or vegetables should not need cutting
• Ensure the bowl is not too heavy
• You can create a standing three or four-course meal by serving each individual course in a bowl

If you are planning a bowl food event, Allens Hire has a wide selection of bowls for you to serve your culinary creations. Contact us now for more information.