Bland food - a new trend for 2026?

I like variety above all. As you can see on my pictures, when I make European food my vegetables are often unseasoned. I frequently highly season my gravies and potatoes however, so that compensates for the veggies. But I do like some plainer flavored veggies in such dishes, it highlights the seasoning only more.

But I have days I crave mildly seasoned foods, and days I want to go all out. Mildly seasoned often still contains onions or garlic for me though, which I know many Northern Europeans already consider spicy. So maybe I'm more used to spiced foods than I realise.
I however can't imagine cooking without a lot of spices, it would just bore me. It's my major complaint about hospital food as well, it's always under seasoned and I don't mean they're not using enough salt, they're just not using anything else.

Sometimes however some carrots, new potatoes or corn with just a bit of salted butter is gorgeous. But I'd still prefer it with some green herbs added.
 
One of the things I had to do when I ran my conserves company was to taste, taste, taste. Everything. spices, ingredients, raw, semi-cooked, cooked, everything. Spices, vinegars, herbs, fruit, even raw chickpeas and lentils for making falafel and pakoras. It's amazing how, over time, one's palate begins to say "you know, sage would go really well with artichokes and bacon" or "this tomato chutney needs lots more salt and just a touch of cumin"
That, perhaps, has nothing to do with "bland" food, because "bland" food tends to suggest it was never seasoned and possibly overcooked.
Again, that's entirely up to each one of us. I can remember fresh baby carrots, pulled from the garden the same day, with just a pinch of salt and some butter. That is an unbeatable combination.
Season them with ajwain (bishop's weed) and ginger, and you simply have a whole different flavour profile, and the spices complement the carrots.
 
Windigo said:
It's my major complaint about hospital food as well, it's always under seasoned and I don't mean they're not using enough salt, they're just not using anything else.
Click to expand...
I know I go a bit off topic...
I had to spend 2 nights in hospital and to my big surprise they had a full menu with a lot of Indian and mediteranean dishes.
Very happily surprised
 
Bland food won't be a trend for me. I like flavor. The only time I might want something bland is if I'm sick and can't hold down anything rich, or perhaps if I'm making a dinner full of rich food, then to maybe have a toned down side dish so it's not overwhelming. Smoked brisket with crab mac 'n cheese, I've found for example, are both too rich to serve together, so it's better to omit the crab from the mac 'n cheese in that case.
 
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