For the last decade, parents have begun to really demand a change in the kinds of meals available to their children. Where we once saw limited options that usually contained fries, a burger, soft drink and a cheap toy, we’re now seeing more options for healthful choices as well as items that are seen as gourmet.

Mac and cheese will likely always be a kids’ meal staple in most restaurants. However, it’s been getting a gourmet facelift by being crafted with artisan cheeses or having slightly familiar but more upscale ingredients being added to it. Instead of ham, you might see prosciutto or chunks of crab or lobster. And the kids are loving it.

Artisan breads made of healthy whole grains are taking over too. Where sandwiches were once served on sugary white bread, kids’ meals are now changing the bread and rolls. The children don’t even notice this gourmet move. Wraps are also popular for kids’ meals.

Many restaurants are embracing the gourmet trend on the kids’ menu, changing things up just enough to give it that gourmet touch without being too unusual so as to intimidate young diners. What this means is that instead of “ham and cheese” as a sandwich offering for children, we’re seeing organic, health-fully cultivated foods that take us back to our roots. So today’s “ham and cheese” is now wild-raised shaved ham with country-churned cheddar cheese or something equally as earthy and inviting.

What’s great about this food trend is that it’s been a long time coming that children should be steered away from over-processed foods that can hardly be considered food. It’s refreshing to see children embracing these items too, likely unaware of the difference and simply enjoying the simplified meals that gourmet ingredients afford them.

Watch for this shift in kids’ meals from fast food to fast casual to sit-down restaurants. It’s a positive shift that ties well into the health trend and keeps going on the upswing.

America’s love affair with ice cream continues to burn hotter than ever. It’s always been a popular treat for children and adults and is a relatively easy to please menu item to add to a dessert section. But in the ever-evolving culinary scene, offering simply chocolate or vanilla scoops of ice cream isn’t going to bring people back in for more.

Ice cream and gelato too should be creamy and rich. And while consumers will never tire of vanilla or chocolate ice cream, most will skip dessert if the offerings aren’t that exciting. After all, who wants to pay $5 for an ordinary scoop of sub-par ice cream?

Chefs are responding and really having fun with this trend by creating their own unique flavors of ice cream and gelato in-house. They take great care and pride to bring whimsical flavor ideas to life. Sometimes, these offerings are simply meant to accompany a slice of cake or pie, but every chef out there knows that serving it with vanilla or chocolate ice cream is totally out of style.

Think pecan pie with caramel cinnamon ice cream or dark-chocolate infused raspberry gelato served alongside a rich chocolate tart. Simply reading the names of these artisan flavors is enough to peak a consumer’s interest in ordering dessert. It encourages salivation and desire. Chefs that want to develop a loyal customer base keep this trend in mind, searching for ways to take other flavors into the creamy and dreamy world of ice cream.

Expect to see the ordinary flavors take a seat on the sidelines while restaurants everywhere hone in on this artisan-created ice cream trend. Combined with this, you’ll also see some savory options of America’s favorite dessert being offered. Don’t knock it until you try it!

Everyone has heard of heirloom tomatoes, but now heirloom everything is sprouting up in the mainstream. Chefs are loving these simple, earthy ingredients. Heirloom has such a nice ring to it, especially when you include it in the description of a dish with heirloom vegetables.

When a fruit or vegetable is called “heirloom,” it means that it’s from an old crop. These old plant breeds have been around since prior to the types of modern growing and breeding practices that we now have in America today. While the name “heirloom” might just sound fancy to most restaurant guests, true gourmands know that eating heirloom fruits and vegetables is a rare treat. It’s a chance to indulge in the distinctive flavors and genetic traits of these fruits and vegetables that have remained unchanged for ages.

So chefs everywhere are snatching up the chance to use heirloom fruits and vegetables. A ho-hum beetroot salad becomes much more exciting when topped with heirloom vegetables like atomic red carrots and Chiogga beets. In fact, many of the names of these heirloom plants sound much like hipster names, which makes them even more appealing when splashed onto a menu.

Grass-fed organic USDA prime cuts of beef couldn’t possibly go better with cowhorn potatoes and heirloom garlic. Predictably, heirloom varieties seem to have either cutesy or fancy names, but it all translates to bigger sales in the restaurants that serve them.

Not only do they look and sound fancier than regular produce, but heirloom produce happens to taste even better. The robust and hearty flavors that have been preserved over time are truly marvelous and something that should be embraced. Thankfully, consumers feel the same way and what’s happening is lots of high demand now for these once-rare varieties that are now making a major comeback. On menus and in supermarkets everywhere, get ready to see a boom of heirloom offerings.

Healthier food options have been trending in recent years and don’t seem to be standing still. This trend is steadily on the rise every year. What is remarkable now though is that children are becoming a part of this trend. We’re seeing kids’ meals getting healthy makeovers everywhere from McDonald’s to more upscale venues.

Parents are demanding healthier options for their children so it’s easy to see why this trend is becoming ingrained in our culinary creations. Of course, no one is completely ditching the sides of fries or sodas, but having available healthier options to choose from is truly the key for success with families.

So while certain items will never be off the menu, you’ll now start seeing healthier options alongside them. If there’s a chicken sandwich, you’ll see a grilled version. Sides of steamed vegetables, vegetable or fruit sticks. Salads, whole wheat bread, organic milk or juice instead of soda are other big changes you can expect to see on menus everywhere.

It makes sense that restaurants should start wooing children that dine out. Children are already going out to dinner with their families. One day, they will be grown up and will go out to eat on their own. As the frequent diners of tomorrow, the restaurant industry is keen to build a good rapport with these children now. Helping them establish positive eating habits with food that tastes good yet is nutritionally proper is essential for future success in the industry.

Getting in on this trend is a smart way to increase sales in the long run for almost every restaurant in existence. Cultivating the palates of children now helps set the foundation for a generation of adults who enjoy eating their food to taste it and appreciate it as opposed to mindlessly grazing on food that has little to no nutritional value.

First it was chipotle. Then sriracha. And now it seems one of the most popular flavors to shake up the culinary game is the smoky flavor. All over, we’re seeing the addition of smoky tastes in food and beverages alike.

While smoking may be out of style as a fad for people, smoking for food is the new big thing. More and more restaurants are investing in smokers for cured meats, fish, and even vegetables and cheeses. As every chef works hard to top the last groundbreaking offering, the biggest blast of smoky excitement is coming in the form of garnishes.

Scorched herbs are the newest hipster food fad, and this trend seems to be one that will stick around. This food trend can be pinned to the greater demand for farm-to-table cuisine with fresher, locally cultivated produce and meats being the center of focus. In an effort to keep to the earthy boldness that today’s menus are now brimming with, chefs have turned to slightly scorching herbs as a way to add another element to their creations.

The aroma created from adding a bit of char to a sprig of rosemary for example is astounding. It adds another layer of flavor to the dish that takes it to a whole new echelon. As a bonus, it also looks beautiful and add a natural, woodsy charm to the dish.

Thyme is another one that is becoming a popular scorched garnish. The deep and earthy scent that comes from charring herbs like these evokes warm images in the mind and spirit. It helps connect guests with their food more and gives it more of a flair without adding extra seasonings or calories.

To add scorch to herbs, you can simply toast them in your oven for a good seven minutes to dry them out. If you have a blow torch, this works more quickly to add that extra smoky flavor to your concoctions. Easy does it though because it’s one thing to have a smoldering garnish. It’s quite another to serve one that is completely aflame.

When you dine out next, you’re likely to see this scorching technique applied to many of the traditional dishes you’re used to. A rack of lamb with rosemary is always a top-selling dish. However, when you add that smoky scorched technique to the rosemary, it makes the dish more primal without turning it into a primitive meal. So while smoking cigarettes is decidedly uncool, smoking herbs to a light scorch is where it’s at in the culinary world today.