Welcome from the editor: looking ahead

Welcome, and happy New Year!

Many find January a bit of a miserable month after the Christmas festivities. Cold, dark and rainy, January and February always come bottom in the ‘favourite months’ polls (yes, they do such surveys, here’s one from the Washington Post), but I personally quite like the start of the year. For me it’s a period of reckoning, of taking stock, of planning for the future and looking ahead. January might not have the effervescent excitement of May, or the cosiness and twinkling lights of December, but it does have its purpose, and I, for one, enjoy hibernating at home, hatching plans for the following months. Plus, on my festive trip to Italy I discovered an excellent Pinot Nero from the Alto Adige region, which will keep me company on chilly Saturday nights.

Last year there was no red wine on the menu for me, as I decided to do Dry January for the first time. I actually felt so good that I carried on until mid February. Giving up alcohol for an entire month can feel a little daunting, but there are plenty of ways to put a positive spin on it, and many non alcoholic drinks to replace one’s favourite tipple. If you’ve decided to cut down or give up alcohol entirely this month, you must read our feature Low/no alcohol: how to enjoy dry January for some beverage inspiration.

The beginning of the year is also exciting as we get to see the food trends for the upcoming months. Find out what’s in store for the vegan sector in Plant-based food trends and innovations for 2023.

Despite my January optimism and cheerfulness, globally we are not out of the woods just yet (and let’s face it, probably not for some time). Author, Good Energy founder and energy and climate sector advisor Juliet Davenport explains how the international energy market works, and looks at the actions some food SMEs are taking to weather the storm in The commodities connection: how sustainability could be the answer to the energy and raw materials crisis.

Make sure you listen to the Food Matters Live podcast, which asks: What impact can precision nutrition have on our health? And read our popular feature Are superfoods really super?

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Stef