There was a time when being a foodie conjured up images of expensive restaurants, elaborate tasting menus, obscure ingredients and people who knew their way around a wine list. It was a world of restaurant critics, celebrity chefs and people prepared to spend a small fortune on a particularly memorable dinner.
But foodie culture has changed. And as we head towards 2027, being a foodie has very little to do with how much money you have in your pocket.
Today's foodie might be queuing for a viral pistachio chocolate bar, hunting down the best £5 sandwich in town, watching someone eat an enormous bowl of noodles on TikTok or spending an entire Sunday perfecting homemade granola. They might occasionally splash out on a Michelin-starred restaurant, but they're just as likely to get excited about a really good doughnut.
Food has become entertainment, a hobby, a social activity, a form of self-expression and, increasingly, a way of discovering the world without necessarily having to travel very far.
So what does it mean to be a foodie in 2027? And how has the cost of living crisis changed the way we eat, discover and enjoy food?
From gourmet to foodie: How the definition has changed
The word foodie first appeared in print around 1980 and was popularised in Britain during the early 1980s by food writers Ann Barr and Paul Levy, who published The Official Foodie Handbook in 1984.
Originally, the term described people with an enthusiastic, sometimes obsessive, interest in food. They were interested in restaurants, ingredients, cooking, cookbooks and discovering new culinary experiences.
But the modern definition has expanded considerably.
You no longer need to be a gourmet or have an encyclopaedic knowledge of French cuisine to call yourself a foodie. You might simply be someone who loves trying new things, follows food accounts on Instagram, knows where to find the best local takeaway or has a particular obsession with one very specific food.
Foodie culture has also become much more accessible. Social media has brought restaurants, recipes and food trends into everyone's living rooms, while delivery apps, street-food markets and independent cafés have made discovering new flavours easier than ever.
Being a foodie is now less about having an expensive palate and more about having an appetite for discovery.
The cost of living foodie: Making every bite count
One of the biggest changes in food culture is the way people are balancing their enthusiasm for eating out with the reality of rising living costs.
Restaurant prices, groceries, energy bills and everyday expenses have all put pressure on household budgets. For many people, regular visits to expensive restaurants have become less realistic.
But interestingly, this hasn't necessarily made people less interested in food.
Instead, we're seeing a shift towards more selective spending. Rather than eating out frequently, people might save up for a special occasion, look for lunchtime deals, share several smaller dishes or seek out affordable places that offer something genuinely memorable.
Food has become a bit like fashion: you can enjoy the occasional investment piece while still finding plenty of pleasure in inexpensive everyday discoveries.
There is also a growing appreciation of value. This doesn't necessarily mean finding the cheapest possible meal. It means finding something that feels worth the money.
A brilliantly made sandwich, a generous bowl of noodles or a perfectly cooked plate of street food can be just as satisfying as an elaborate restaurant dinner.
The 2026 Bidfood and NIQ food trends research found that 54% of UK consumers describe themselves as foodies, while 46% want to try the latest food trends. Food enthusiasm clearly isn't disappearing just because people are watching their spending.
The new foodie is becoming more resourceful, selective and adventurous. And perhaps that's not such a bad thing.
Restaurants: Michelin stars without the Michelin-sized bill
Fine dining might traditionally have been associated with expensive tasting menus, special occasions and exclusive restaurants, but there are ways to experience Michelin-starred cooking without spending hundreds of pounds.
One of the best-kept secrets is the lunchtime set menu.
Many high-end restaurants offer shorter, more affordable menus during the day or in the early evening. You often get to experience the same chefs, ingredients and kitchens as the more expensive dinner service, but at a considerably lower price.
London is a particularly good place to explore this.
A few examples from the MICHELIN Guide's October 2026 guide to more affordable starred restaurants include:
- Amaya, Belgravia: Its daily lunch platter is listed at £32, offering an introduction to its Michelin-starred Indian cooking.
- The Ninth, Fitzrovia: A three-course lunch and early-evening menu is listed at £45.
- Elystan Street, Chelsea: Three courses at lunch and early evening are listed from £45.
- Chishuru, Fitzrovia: Its four-course weekday lunch menu is listed at £55, showcasing West African cooking.
These aren't everyday budget meals, but they demonstrate that Michelin-starred dining doesn't always have to be an extravagant occasion.
Other ways to enjoy restaurant culture on a budget include sharing plates, choosing early-bird menus, exploring neighbourhood restaurants and looking out for special lunchtime offers.
And remember, a Michelin star is an acknowledgement of exceptional cooking, not a requirement for a good meal. Some of the most memorable food experiences happen in tiny neighbourhood restaurants, family-run cafés and places that don't have a star to their name.
The modern foodie is interested in the experience, not just the prestige.
Street food: The great leveller
If there is one part of modern food culture that has helped make being a foodie more accessible, it's street food.
From London's food markets to night markets in Bangkok, hawker centres in Singapore and street stalls in Mexico City, some of the world's most exciting food experiences are found outside traditional restaurants.
Street food has always been about making delicious, interesting food accessible. It often celebrates regional specialities, family recipes and dishes that have been perfected over generations.
It's also a brilliant way to try something unfamiliar without committing to an expensive meal.
You can sample Korean fried chicken, Vietnamese bánh mì, Malaysian laksa, Mexican tacos, Indian dosas or Chinese dumplings without needing to book a restaurant or spend a fortune.
In 2026, UK food trends have increasingly embraced global flavours, with Malaysian, Korean and South American cuisines featuring prominently in industry predictions.
Loaded fries, loaded jacket potatoes, loaded dumplings and inventive street-food-inspired dishes are also popular. There is a particular appetite for generous portions, interesting toppings and combinations that make familiar foods feel new again.
Street food also has something that a formal restaurant sometimes lacks: atmosphere. The queues, the smells, the noise, the open kitchens and the excitement of watching food being prepared in front of you are all part of the experience.
For the budget-conscious foodie, a food market can be a brilliant day out. You can try several small dishes, discover independent traders and experience different cuisines without committing to a full restaurant meal.
Mukbang: When watching people eat becomes entertainment
One of the more unusual developments in modern food culture is the rise of mukbang.
The word comes from the Korean words meokneun (eating) and bangsong (broadcast), and describes videos or livestreams in which people eat while interacting with an audience.
Mukbang originated in South Korea in the 2010s before spreading internationally through YouTube and other social media platforms.
Initially, it often involved people sitting down to eat large meals while chatting with viewers. But the format has evolved into a huge variety of food-related entertainment.
Some creators eat enormous quantities of food, while others concentrate on the sounds and textures of eating, known as ASMR. Others prepare elaborate meals, review takeaways, sample unusual snacks or simply share what they're having for dinner.
Why do millions of people enjoy watching other people eat?
Part of the appeal is entertainment, but there is also a social element. Watching somebody eat can feel like sharing a meal with a friend, particularly for people eating alone.
Food videos also tap into our curiosity. We want to know what something tastes like, how it is made and whether it lives up to the hype.
A particularly satisfying food video can make us hungry even when we've just eaten.
The format has also helped create a new generation of food personalities who are as influential as traditional restaurant critics.
The modern foodie doesn't necessarily need to visit a restaurant to discover it. Sometimes they discover it through somebody else's dinner on their phone.
Viral food: You don't need a big budget to join the trend
Social media has completely changed the speed at which food trends travel.
A dish that was previously known only in one city or country can suddenly become an international sensation after a few videos go viral.
Think about the Dubai chocolate phenomenon. The combination of chocolate, pistachio cream and crunchy knafeh pastry became an internet sensation, inspiring countless imitations and supermarket versions.
But not every viral food trend involves expensive ingredients or luxury products.
Some of the most successful food trends are remarkably simple.
A few examples of the types of food that have captured attention include:
Dubai chocolate: The original luxury-inspired chocolate bar might be expensive, but the flavour combination has inspired affordable supermarket versions and homemade recipes.
Cucumber salad: Simple cucumber salads, often mixed with soy sauce, sesame oil, chilli and other ingredients, became hugely popular on social media. An inexpensive vegetable suddenly became the star of countless videos.
Hot honey: A simple combination of honey and chilli that can transform pizza, fried chicken, vegetables and sandwiches.
Loaded fries: An ordinary portion of chips becomes a meal when topped with cheese, sauces, meats, vegetables or spicy seasonings.
Croffles: A combination of croissant and waffle, made by cooking croissant pastry in a waffle iron.
Bingsu: A Korean shaved-ice dessert, traditionally topped with sweet ingredients such as red beans, fruit and condensed milk.
The Magnum croissant: A simple DIY combination of a chocolate-covered ice cream lolly pushed inside a croissant, which gained attention on social media during 2026.
The common thread is that these foods are visually interesting, easy to share and often relatively easy to recreate.
You don't necessarily need to visit the original restaurant or buy the most expensive version. Part of the fun is experimenting at home.
The next big food trend might be something you can make with ingredients already sitting in your kitchen cupboard.
Delivery culture: What's everyone ordering?
The modern foodie doesn't always need to leave the house.
Food delivery has become an important part of how people experience different cuisines, discover new restaurants and satisfy particular cravings.
And it isn't just traditional takeaway food anymore. Delivery platforms increasingly offer everything from speciality coffee and artisan sandwiches to groceries, desserts, restaurant-quality meals and unusual snacks.
British takeaway tastes have also evolved considerably.
According to Just Eat's 2026 reporting on its UK platform, the range of cuisines available has expanded from the seven categories it offered when it launched in the UK to more than 100.
Kebabs, fish and chips and chicken korma were once familiar favourites, but newer additions to the platform's popular takeaway landscape include Korean fried chicken, loaded fries and Pad Thai.
Uber Eats' 2026 Hottest Bites report also highlights the diversity of what people are ordering, from Greggs sausage rolls and matcha lattes to char kuey teow and global street-food favourites.
Some of the particularly popular delivery categories and dishes include:
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Pizza: From classic Margherita to spicy Diavola and elaborate topping combinations.
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Burgers: Cheeseburgers, smash burgers and increasingly inventive combinations.
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Fried chicken: Particularly Korean-style fried chicken, with its crispy coating and sweet, spicy or sticky sauces.
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Asian food: Pad Thai, ramen, noodles, dumplings, sushi and rice bowls.
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Indian food: Curries, biryani, naan breads and sharing platters.
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Comfort food: Loaded fries, mac and cheese, fried rice and hearty sandwiches.
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Desserts: Doughnuts, cookies, brownies, milkshakes and other sweet treats.
Interestingly, delivery is no longer just about convenience. It's also a way of exploring food culture.
You can try a new cuisine, support a local independent restaurant or order something you have seen in a viral video without having to travel across the city.
Of course, delivery fees and service charges can make ordering considerably more expensive, so the budget-conscious foodie might choose collection, share an order or save delivery for an occasional treat.
The rise of the supermarket foodie
Another interesting development is the growing enthusiasm for supermarket food.
Not so long ago, foodies might have looked down on supermarket versions of restaurant dishes. Today, supermarket shelves are often where the latest food trends become accessible to everyone.
Limited-edition snacks, international ingredients, speciality sauces, unusual crisps and viral-inspired desserts can all be found alongside everyday groceries.
People are comparing supermarket croissants, searching for the best ready-made dumplings, reviewing own-brand chocolate and discovering unexpected culinary gems in the frozen food aisle.
Supermarkets have become places of discovery.
There is also a growing interest in recreating restaurant experiences at home. A few carefully chosen ingredients, a new condiment and an interesting recipe can turn an ordinary Tuesday evening into something a little more exciting.
You don't need a restaurant reservation to have a foodie experience.
So, what does the 2027 foodie actually look like?
Perhaps the biggest change is that there is no longer one particular type of foodie.
The new foodie might be a student discovering affordable international street food, a family trying a new recipe at home, a couple saving up for a Michelin-starred lunch or someone who spends their weekends hunting down the best bakeries in their neighbourhood.
They might love fine dining, but they might also be completely obsessed with instant noodles.
They might follow celebrity chefs, but they might get just as excited about a supermarket doughnut.
And they might spend hours watching food videos without ever cooking anything themselves.
The cost of living crisis has certainly encouraged people to think more carefully about where they spend their money. But it hasn't removed the pleasure of eating, discovering and sharing food.
If anything, it has made value, creativity and resourcefulness more important.
The best food doesn't necessarily come with an expensive price tag. Sometimes it's about the perfect combination of flavours, the memories associated with a particular dish or the excitement of trying something completely new.
The future of foodie culture isn't necessarily about spending more. It's about getting more out of what we eat.
Wear your appetite: The Goodordering Foodie Varsity collection
Of course, if you're going to take your love of food seriously, why not wear it?
At Goodordering, we've created a whole collection of food-inspired varsity T-shirts celebrating some of our favourite dishes, snacks and treats.
From breakfast enthusiasts to sweet-toothed snackers, there's a design for practically every kind of foodie.
Whether you're a doughnut devotee, a granola enthusiast, a meatball traditionalist or someone whose idea of happiness is a big bowl of fried rice, you can find a T-shirt to match your appetite.
A few favourites from the collection include:
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Doughnut Varsity T-shirt – For anyone who believes doughnuts deserve their own food group.
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Popcorn Varsity T-shirt – The perfect uniform for movie-night snack enthusiasts.
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Granola Varsity T-shirt – For breakfast lovers, brunch regulars and the proudly granola-minded.
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Meatball Varsity T-shirt – A tribute to one of the great comfort foods.
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Fried Rice Varsity T-shirt – For people who know that a really good plate of fried rice is hard to beat.
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Fish and Chips Varsity T-shirt – A celebration of one of Britain's most enduring takeaway classics.
The collection features playful food graphics on collegiate-inspired varsity T-shirts, with organic cotton fabrics and a relaxed, wearable style. You can see a few more of the range HERE on our Foodie t-shirt gallery page.
Whether your food obsession is fancy or decidedly unfancy, we think there's something here for you.
Because being a foodie isn't about how much you spend. It's about how much you love to eat.
