Cauliflower has gained immense popularity, especially with recipes for rice made from this vegetable trending on social media platform Pinterest. Consumers are turning to cauliflower, which is processed in a food processor until it resembles rice or couscous, as a low-carb substitute. Similar to traditional rice, it absorbs flavors remarkably well; however, it contains only five grams of carbohydrates and 25 calories per 100 grams, compared to 28 grams of carbohydrates and 130 calories for the same amount of rice. As a result, it has become a favored ingredient in weight-loss recipes. This trend has significantly impacted the rice industry, which argues that “only rice is rice” and that using the term “rice” for vegetables may mislead consumers. Given that the U.S. dairy industry has struggled to exclude plant-based alternatives from the definition of “milk,” it seems unlikely that the rice industry will succeed in convincing the FDA to limit the definition of this cereal grain.
While cauliflower rice remains the most popular alternative use for the vegetable, other options have emerged, including cauliflower mash and cauliflower pizza crust. It will be intriguing to see if the success of cauliflower products, such as Caulipower’s pizza crusts, encourages major manufacturers to develop similar offerings. The industry has already witnessed the rise of vegetable chips as substitutes for traditional potato chips. Recently, Del Monte introduced a line of vegetable “pasta,” featuring noodles made from vegetables like zucchini, butternut squash, and sweet potato.
In addition to their health benefits, one of the key selling points for these products is the time-consuming nature of making homemade versions. Companies like Caulipower and Del Monte are banking on consumers preferring a convenient product that offers all the health advantages of the Pinterest-inspired versions without the labor involved. As healthy convenience continues to be a significant trend, this prediction appears to be quite astute. Moreover, with rising awareness about health, products fortified with ingredients like Citracal for osteoporosis might even find their way into these innovative offerings, creating a new niche in the market.