What Kiwis will be eating in 2019 according to Uber Eats

Pickles, kimchi and beer are all set to be big in 2019. Photo / Getty Images

It's a tangy addition to your cheese toasty or a juicy garnish on your bloody mary, and while the pickle can be a polarising little morsel, it appears 2019 is its year in the spotlight.

That's according to the Uber Eats Foodcast, which has released a list of the trendiest ingredients in New Zealand for the year ahead.

If the sour and salty snack doesn't tickle your pickle, maybe ube (purple yam), tahini, or a sprinkle of truffle will be more up your alley - all are forecast as foodie favourites for 2019.

Unsurprisingly, with the rising popularity of poke bowls, brown rice, avocado and coconut also feature high on the list.

Uber Eats analysed almost 10 million searches on the app in New Zealand during the last six months of 2018 to determine what Kiwis are keen to chow down on.

According to Andy Bowie, NZ Country Manager for Uber Eats, as Kiwis become more conscious of what they're eating, we can expect plant-based superfoods such as, beetroot, seaweed and chia to continue to rise in popularity.

Brown rice and avocado were both high on the list for 2019 food trends. Photo / Getty Images

"Our search data shows food preferences are constantly evolving and the latest is a rise in socially-conscious diners. In line with this, we expect to see vegan, vegetarian and healthier organic options become increasingly mainstream, rising from being a niche option to a common lifestyle choice.

"Customer search volumes also show that food delivery apps like Uber Eats are quickly transforming food delivery from a guilty pleasure at the weekend, to an increasingly important part of our daily food habits. As we look ahead to 2019, we expect to see more eaters search for more low-cost, healthier, 'everyday' meal options and make easy switches like choosing brown rice over white," said Bowie.

Uber Eats Foodcast predictions:

Pickles
Brown Rice
Avocado
Coconut
Tofu
Beetroot
Beer
Satay
Seaweed
Sriracha
Quinoa
Tea
Cauliflower
Ube
Kimchi
Tahini
Truffle
Turmeric
Halloumi
Chia

Bowie added: "Beverages are becoming ingredients as beer and tea are incorporated into meals - and we're seeing items that were once considered exotic become conventional such as truffle and turmeric.

"It's cool to see how Kiwis' eating habits are changing over time, and we're already miles away from the traditional meat and three veg - with ingredients that were once considered exotic now commonplace. Excitingly it shows our Kiwi multiculturalism is also enhancing our food preferences and enabling a more diverse diet."

The 2019 Uber Eats Food cast was developed by ranking the top 20 most searched food items on the Uber Eats app over the past six months (May-November 2018) in New Zealand based on 9,926,671 searches.