8 Food Trends to Expect in 2014

Check out our dietitians' predictions for the top food trends of 2014. 

1. CLEAN EATING. Although the Paleo diet was all the buzz in 2013, a more realistic approach to clean eating will be seen in 2014. This trend advocates eating food as close to its natural state as possible. The focus is on whole foods - lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats - and limiting processed food intake.

2. HOMEMADE ALTERNATIVES. Using olive oil and lemon juice in place of the previous trend of low fat, low sodium dressing alternatives is a trend in 2014. Other examples include using high citrus fruits like kiwi and oranges to marinate and tenderize meat and using Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.

3. GOING LOCAL, FROM PEOPLE TO INDUSTRY. Many of Food & Friends' local restaurant partners that support Dining Out for Life® and Chef's Best Dinner & Auction have already included locally-sourced items on their menus. This year, chain restaurants will be following suit. Chains like Chipotle and Panera Bread are expanding awareness by using catch phrases such as “Food with Integrity” and “Live Consciously” to promote their safe sourcing practices and wellness promotion.

4. ALLERGEN-FREE FOOD. 13% of American adults have some type of food allergy. However, more people are choosing allergy-free foods even though it is not a necessity for their health. An example of this is choosing to eat gluten-free. Ingredients like quinoa, rice and buckwheat are more popular and available on grocery store shelves.

5. MEAT-FREE ALTERNATIVES. More non-vegetarians will be consuming meat substitutes. Tofu, portabella, and black bean burgers will be popping up on fast-food and restaurant menus alike. 

6. NUTS FOR DAIRY. Lactose-intolerant, vegan, and clean-eaters are choosing milk-and-dairy-free options. Soy and rice cheese are already found in grocery stores, however, be on the look-out for cashew, hazelnut, and hemp milks.

7. "ALLOWABLE" SNACKS. Snacks containing nutritionally dense, functional ingredients are on the rise. Roasted seaweed snacks, kale chips, and seeds are now available in convenient, on-the-go packages. 

8. NATURAL SWEETENERS. As more people are watching their sugar and calorie intake, demand for calorie-free, natural sweeteners is increasing. Stevia and other natural sugars like coconut and palm sugar are becoming more prevalent.

How much food can you buy with $4?

"I go to a lot of doctors…”

…says Food & Friends client Tricia Hope Ripley.
Since a serious motorcycle accident in 1971, Tricia has had more than 100 surgeries. In 2011, her doctor recommended Food & Friends as a leg amputation, liver problems, and pain from her surgeries made it hard for Tricia to get to the grocery store for the nutrition she needed.

But it’s the sense of community Food & Friends has given to Tricia that makes the biggest difference in her life. She considers Food & Friends part of her extended family - we provide the support system and sense of hope that keeps her moving.

“Now I have much more of a life to look forward to...”

Before Food & Friends, her food stamps had been cut down to $4 a month – too little for Tricia to buy healthy food. Her blood sugar was hard to control, and she was often hungry and bedridden. The nutritious meals Food & Friends provides keep her blood sugar steady, prevent her from going hungry, and help her be more active.

Today, Tricia is working on a book about her journey, and planning other positive changes for her life. Watch our video profile of Tricia and learn more about her. 

We’re proud to bring hope to Tricia and clients like her as we have done since 1988. Please join us in Making Hope Happen so we can continue to deliver nutritious meals and smiling faces to neighbors in need for another 25 years.

Send a Message of Hope to a Client

We are so grateful for your generous support!

Because of our generous volunteers and donors, this Thanksgiving we were able to deliver nourishing holiday meals to more than 800 clients living with HIV/AIDS, cancer or other life-challenging illnesses.

But many of our clients don’t have family and friends around to share the season. You can help: Send a free message of hope to a Food & Friends client today.

Our clients need your warm wishes and kind words now more than ever. Friend, I hope you will reach out to a neighbor in need and send your holiday message of hope today.

The Impact of Your Support - Thank You

Denise's First Thanksgiving with Cancer

This Thanksgiving, many of us will gather around the table with friends and family to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. And, we know you'll be saving room for a slice of pie after polishing off the turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing. Like you, Denise will also be enjoying a Thanksgiving meal, but it will be nothing like her Thanksgiving meals in the past.


Denise was diagnosed with lung cancer only two months ago and was referred to Food & Friends. You can support Denise and thousands of other clients by purchasing a pie or making a donation today!

“There are so many people in the metropolitan area that don’t have the ability to get out and don’t have the funds to purchase the food that will strengthen them,” says Denise. “I think you [Food & Friends] are very helpful, extremely helpful."

Our deliveries provide the critical nutrition Denise needs to battle this horrible illness. Thanks to the funds raised by our Slice of Life pie sale, Denise will be sharing her Thanksgiving meal with relatives at her sister’s house.

Like many others receiving a Thanksgiving meal, she is thankful that she does not have to worry about preparing a meal on her own and that she is able to give back to those who support her every day. “The fact that I’ll be receiving it… I’m a humble person.”

You can ensure that children and adults like Denise, who face a life-challenging illness, continue to have the strength, hope and nourishment they need by supporting Slice of Life. Don't wait, sales close tomorrow!

Thank you for your support,

Carrie Stoltzfus
Director of Program Services


P.S. Every pie purchased provides breakfast, lunch and dinner to a Food & Friends client in need. Your support will make Thanksgiving, and every day, a healthier and brighter day for our clients. Buy a pie or donate today!

What Goes with Pie? Coffee and Pie Plates

We are making it even easier to do good in the community this Thanksgiving with our new Slice of Life Holiday Extras. Add these items to your cart and make an even greater impact in the lives of children and adults facing life-challenging illnesses.

1. COSTA RICAN COFFEE

Warm up your holiday mornings with a delicious cup of "Fiesta Holiday Blend" coffee made specially for Food & Friends' supporters. Sip this special medium-balanced coffee and know that with each cup you are making a difference in our community. Each 1lb bag is $16 and can be picked up at one of the convenient pie pick-up locations. Only 250 bags will be sold. Get your coffee today.

2. PIE SERVING PLATE

Care, kindness and compassion—serve them in big helpings this Thanksgiving with your very own Food & Friends limited-edition pie plate. Plates are $30 and can also be picked up at one of the pie pick-up locations. Only 300 plates will be sold. Buy your plate today.

Enter to Win 3 Thanksgiving Pies!

FREE PIE TASTING | Tuesday, November 5th | Farragut Square

Celebrate our Slice of Life Thanksgiving pie sale. Join us at Pie Day for free pie samples and the chance to cast your vote for Apple Pie vs. Pumpkin Pie!  

The winner of our "In Pie We Crust" election will go on FLASH SALE from 3:00pm - midnight tomorrow and YOU could win a full Thanksgiving dinner for 4, plus 2 pies, just by coming out to vote.

WHAT: FREE PIE BITES!

WHEN: Tuesday, November 5th | 11:30am - 1:30pm

WHERE: Farragut Square (Corner of 17th & K Street, NW)

Spread the word about PIE DAY: @foodandfriends | #SliceofLifeDC | #InPieWeCrust

From Our Family to Yours: Dietitians Share Tips to a Healthier Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving does not have to be a disaster for your health. From the vast array of delectable food and desserts to the huge amount of food so often available, it can be difficult to remember healthy eating habits. However, you can enjoy the food of the holiday and still stay on track by employing some tips from our registered dietitians.

Delivering Hope to Hope this Thanksgiving

On the wall of Tricia Hope Ripley’s home, she has a calendar to keep track of her busy schedule. The calendar dawns several red marks which indicate her doctor’s appointments.

These appointments are nothing new for Tricia.

Tricia: "With Food & Friends, I know
they’re going to do what they say."

In 1971, Tricia’s life changed drastically when she was in a motorcycle accident. After the crash, she went through 22 operations which led to multiple complications, including a leg amputation. To make matters worse, she developed a potentially fatal liver disease. Tasks such as grocery shopping and preparing meals became difficult as she lives by herself and is restricted to a wheelchair.

In 2011, Tricia began receiving Food & Friends’ home-delivered, nutritious meals. Before then, she didn’t eat much and was only going to the grocery store once a month. She explains that Food & Friends changed the way she views and accesses healthy food: “It’s wonderful because my blood sugar is always stabilized.”

Food & Friends has delivered so much more than food to Tricia – our services have given her a new sense of hope. “I was literally in bed for almost five years…living and dying,” says Tricia. “Now I have much more of a life to look forward to.”

This November, Tricia looks forward to our annual Thanksgiving meal delivery. Last year, she was able to feed herself and four others – she hosted her caretaker, who she hopes to adopt next year, and her soon to be grandchildren.

“She didn’t have any money for Thanksgiving last year and they showed up here. I was in bed recovering and we had a Thanksgiving dinner,” says Tricia. “They wouldn’t have had anything.”

Perhaps even more than the meals, Tricia loves her relationships with the volunteers. After two years with Food & Friends, Tricia considers the volunteers members of her extended family.

Tricia is restricted to a wheelchair and depends on
Food & Friends' meals for her daily nutrition.

“There were many days I felt like giving up, but then one of the volunteers would show up. Since I’m homebound for so much of my life, it makes me feel like I have a family. And I love that. It makes me feel like they’re involved in my life.”

These new additions to the family have done so much as they share stories about their kids, ask for advice on anniversary gifts, recap a Supremes concert and deliver Ripley emergency water when her apartment complex faced a shutoff. Food & Friends has created a community of people that Tricia can depend on during her fight with illness.

“I haven’t had food many days. I haven’t had people to do what they say they would do,” Tricia says. “With Food & Friends, I know they’re going to do what they say.”