As shared on our 1/5/12 Food Talk STL show:

1. The line between brilliant creativity and goofy gimmickry will become blurrier.
2. Bacon will show up in more unexpected places. (Bacon in your alfredo sauce? Bacon bits on your apple pie? Bacon wrapped carrots?)
3. Portion sizes will decrease slightly, leaving more room for beverages & desserts.
4. Chefs will feature more main dishes starring fresh veggies because they look good and because vegetables are cheaper than protein foods.
5. More restaurants will add burgers to their lunch menus. (Pasta House has a burger on its lunch menu. Would Breadco add a burger?)
6. Food truck operators will get tons more private catering gigs. Because they have different food items and the trucks add color and charm.
7. Some of those favorite local food truck menu items will show up at Busch Stadium concession stands. (Maybe in the Redbird Club?)
8. Younger St. Louis palates will embrace noticeably spicier dishes that their parents could never handle.
9. Like bacon, fried eggs will show up in unexpected places. (On top of your tuna sandwich? On top of lasagna? On top of your grilled salmon?)
10. Salted caramel desserts will replace or accompany some of the old standbys.

We’ve seen some of these things happen already, to be sure. But we may notice them more prominently in 2013. But, then again, I could be wrong.

 Let’s do lunch!