Newstalgia on the Holiday Menu: Fusing Traditional Comfort with Modern Flavors

Whether getting lost in the lusciousness of a warm cinnamon roll in your pajamas or piling a plate high with Grandmaā€™s roast turkey and dressing, the holidays are satiated with childhood memories that satisfy cravings for comfort foods. For millennials and Gen Xers, these traditions are evolving by adding global flavors that harmonize with family favorites, otherwise known as newstalgia.

The Origination of Newstalgia

First and foremost, all demographics want to celebrate together, though the younger generation is putting a new spin on it. According to Cookist, 2024 represents a resurgence of the dinner party, and the holidays are ideal for meaningful gatherings important to Millennials and GenXers [1]. Remembering that this generation publicly shares ideas, thoughts, selfies, and even co-working and co-living spaces, celebrations of winter holidays are more than a meal; they are shared experiences. The nostalgia harkens back to foods served at holiday meals that their parents may have called a celebratory family potluck. The newness is founded on the younger generationsā€™ desire to build a community around gatherings to deepen relationships, show off culinary independence from hard and fast traditions, and share in the expense and clean-up.

The Flavors of Newstalgic Gatherings

This new, eclectic mix of old and new presents an excellent opportunity for food companies to create products that satisfy their cravings for tradition and adventure. By tapping into the newstalgic trend, brands can connect with younger consumers who want to explore new tastes while still enjoying the foods they love during the holidays. Data from Innova suggests a 60/40 split of new and nostalgic, with 44% of US and Canadian consumers saying that traditional and nostalgic flavors influence their holiday food and beverage choices [2]. That leaves a generous 56% for new ideas.

ā€œWhen bringing global flavors into the holiday kitchen, think about zeroing in on one culinary culture or region for a flavor palette within a meal. This way, there is a flavor harmony rather than a mix-up of global flavors," says Leslie Brenner, Dallas-based restaurant consultant and founder and editor-in-chief of the Webby award-winning website and Substack newsletter Cooks Without Borders.

Brenner suggests starting with proteins from other cultures prominently featured in holiday meals. It might be a specific culinary culture, such as Mexico, Italy, India, or Japan. Or it might be a broader region that shares common flavors ā€” such as Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia) or the Levant (Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, Syria).?Culinary inspiration from Brenner includes the following:

1. ā€œTurkey, celebrated in Mexican cooking, pairs perfectly with mole poblano. Or, Yucatan-style pavo pibĆ­l ā€” turkey rubbed with achiote paste, bitter orange, and charred garlic, then wrapped in banana leaves and pit-roasted (or oven-roasted for home cooks).ā€¯
2. ā€œThink of how poultry is treated in Southeast Asian cooking. For instance, braised turkey with Thai green curry or punch-up chicken or duck with ginger, star anise, makrut lime, Thai chiles, and Thai basil.ā€¯
3. ā€œBeef tenderloin pairs nicely with a Thai-style masaman curry sauce, or think about pork or ham with hoisin sauce, cilantro, ginger, garlic, and Sichuan pepper.ā€¯

The 2024 Power of Meat survey shows how the shifting preferences of younger and older generations for traditional holiday proteins perfectly complement Brennerā€™s culinary brainstorming for new flavor combinations [3].

As preferences for turkey fall away among younger cooks, consider how ham, chicken, beef, and pork can be included in new flavor combinations.

Don't Forget Sides

Though a centerpiece protein often gets the most attention on the holiday table, consumers are particularly fond of holiday side dishes. According to Campbell's 2024 State of the Sides report, home cooks say they will serve as many as seven different side dishes [4].

• More than 55%?would eat side dishes rather than turkey, and nearly 40% are content with only side dishes.
• 60%?find more joy in cooking the sides than preparing the bird because of the opportunity for creativity.
• Eaters ages 18-27 love macaroni and cheese, with?45% saying it is their favorite side dish.

For cooks looking for a harmonized culinary theme, sides are a way to introduce palate-pleasing flavors. Brenner suggests adding a bitter orange flavor that complements Mexican flavors by stirring some orange marmalade into cranberry sauce or adding cilantro, charred chiles, and roasted garlic to a cornbread dressing. Levant-style salads and sides also lend themselves to pomegranate seeds, parsley, sesame seeds/tahini, sumac, yogurt, garlic, and olive oil.

The possibilities are endless. ā€œFlavor a sweet potato gratin with star anise and fresh ginger and Thai chile,ā€œ says Brenner. ā€œHow about a stuffing inspired by the flavors of a banh mi sandwich? Dried baguette, cilantro, pickled onion, and carrot. Or skip the pickly stuff (you could serve those on the side) and do dried baguette, water chestnuts, dried shiitake mushrooms (and the water used to rehydrate them), and Thai basil.ā€¯?

Hybrid Convenience Cooking Shines

Home cooking takes precedence for the holidays, but how this happens is evolving. The Specialty Food Associationā€™s 2025 Trends Prediction report shows cross-category trends with consumers cooking at home and using premade foods and appliances beyond the stove and oven. For instance, the Airfryer has taken up residence in many kitchens, with 36% saying they rely on it for everyday meals [5].? ā€œConsumers are increasingly seeking gourmet-quality meals in convenient formats,ā€¯ says Kantha Shelke, PhD, a food industry consultant and Specialty Food Association trendspotter.

The SFA sees category upticks for foods that would make easy and flavorsome holiday appetizers, such as premade Asian dumplings, pizza cupcakes, tinned seafood, and regional Italian tapenades. ?Anything with zing and heat, such as flavored vinegar, hot honey, chile crisp/crunch sauces, and harissa, remains popular.

Don't Forget Dessert

Lastly, it wouldnā€™t be a celebration without a bit of sweetness to finish the meal. ā€œLooking to 2025, trends like the increasing appetite for real sugar over artificial or the upscaling of cooking at home with premium ingredients will absolutely be reflected in more ā€˜mainstream,ā€¯ said Leana Salamah, SVP of Marketing & Communications at SFA. The trend points to natural sugar, honey, and syrups such as maple, sorghum, molasses, and chocolate over non-natural and alternative sweeteners.

According to the SFA, three trends in baking stand out: fruit-forward, warmth, and comfort. ā€œA dash of chipotle chile, cinnamon, and vanilla add new twists to warm and comforting desserts, such as pumpkin pie or anything rich and chocolatey,ā€¯ says Brenner. Falling in line with Asian and Caribbean newstalgia flavors, tropical fruits add sunshine to winter celebrations. Popular choices include passion, pineapple, yuzu, mango, guava, and dragon fruit, which are having their day in custard and mousse cakes and pies, ice cream, and cheesecakes.

Across the generations, todayā€™s consumers are looking for innovation to help them make celebrations tasty, meaningful, and easier to manage. The newstalgia trends open opportunities to create new food products that appeal to all ages and bring people together to create lasting food memories.

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Sources:

[1] Cookist

[2] Innova Flavor Survey 2023 (Average of US and Canada)

[3] 2024 Power of Meat

[4] Campbell's 2024 State of the Sides

[5] Specialty Food Association's 2025 Trends Prediction report