Design in the food industry are not just limited to the images you see on a website. It also covers the layout of the physical space in a restaurant and the menu as well as the marketing material for digital and physical promotional assets.

Food trends change every few months and so do the design trends in the food industry. With more people switching to ordering online, creating stunning designs for your food app or website is of paramount importance.

You can be the owner of a small cupcake shop or you can be running a top restaurant franchise - whatever your position in the food industry is, this article is for you. Here are some insights on the latest design trends in the food industry.

Top graphic design trends to spice up your food-based designs

1. Less is more

With the minimal ‘no-makeup makeup look’ trending in the beauty industry, the food industry also seems to have taken the same route in 2022. For food designs, the primary focus needs to remain on the food item.

Avoid cluttering the design with too many decorative elements or distracting backgrounds. This draws the attention of the viewer away from the main subject of the image.

Think of the product image as the main food item while the other elements of the design are just the seasoning. Overpopulating your images and visuals is only going to make the user feel too full- even before they have tasted your food.

2. Drizzle some animation

Animation, animation, animation! This little bit of movement brings a touch of joy and fun to your visuals. It could quite literally be a drizzle of sauce on your plated meal. Or perhaps the streeeeetch of the cheese?

Don’t be afraid to make the most of animation. The transitioning colors of your text or the spinning of a dish to give a 360 degree view will definitely draw more attention than a still picture.

If the only media you’re using are static ones, don't worry. You can express movement even with static images by using imagery of moving stills. Capture a still of an ice cube dropping into a drink, or someone sprinkling grated cheese on a pizza. These not only bring your food designs to life but also add the element of desirability that prompts your audience to make a purchase.

3. Pay attention to fonts

Now that we’ve got the imagery down, what else can we do to gain traction?

Get the typeface right!

Be sure to follow Point 1 in this article and keep it minimal; you don’t want a text heavy advert as it would take the focus away from the food. Instead, supplement your designs with fonts that are not only legible and easy on the eye but also stand out.

Use catchy, unique fonts that attract the right kind of attention while keeping your food looking absolutely scrumptious.

Glorify templates will come in handy here. Being pre-designed, all you have to do is pick one that catches your eye and edit the text according to your needs.

4. Go BOLD with text

With high quality food pictures hogging the spotlight, your text-based message may go unnoticed unless you pay specific attention to it. But, you also don’t want to go overboard with text.

The simple solution to this is using large bolded text for a single concise phrase that gets the message across.

Using bolded text allows the formatting to be a simple block of text that sits beside the immaculate imagery of your food. Stick to colors that blend in with the rest of the image. They could be your brand colors or the default black or white.

5. Do not compromise authenticity

Gone are the days when a generic Google stock image of your food item can be used to advertise your menu. You need to keep it authentic. Customers are drawn in by the visuals you use and will expect to be served the same dish you displayed on your ads. Don’t let this scare you, as it opens up the possibility for a stronger marketing campaign.

Many food places use the aesthetic aspect of their food as their main selling point. With Instagrammable plating, word of your place will spread fast. Use this to your advantage and brush up on your food presentation skills.

There are many simple methods available, such as dusting sugar onto your waffles and embellishing them with flowers. Or spreading the gravy of your steak with style. Whatever it may be, leave your customers excited and in awe. But most importantly, have them wanting more of your authentic dishes!

6. Emotional engagement

People don't buy products. They buy emotions. And the only thing that unites people more than emotion is food! So why not appeal to the majority by tying these two powerful aspects together?

For example, a discount on your food items can can be related to salary cuts due to the pandemic, as done by Burger King. Or when people are frustrated, overworked and need a break, they can always grab a KitKat right?  

There is no right or wrong way with this strategy. If you know how to tap into the emotions of your audience, this is one technique you will nail.

How to create stunning food designs using Glorify

Graphic design in the food industry can be fun and exciting. And the best part? You don't have to be a professional to create captivating images for your business. All you need is a dash of creativity and Glorify.

Glorify is an easy-to-use graphic design tool that is ideal for both designers and non-designers. It has simple tools for beginners and complex tools for professionals so that anyone can create eye-catching designs, regardless of prior design skills.

Apart from a balanced editor, Glorify has a ton of fun, effective features that you can experiment with. These include an instant background remover, a logo maker, mockups, Brand Kits, template bundles, Smart Shapes, an advanced pen tool and a whole lot more!

Here's how you can create great graphic designs for the food industry in a few simple steps:

Step 1: Go to the dashboard on the left of your screen and click "Templates".

‍Step 2: Click on "Niche" found beside the search bar and select "Food & Drink". You can also select any theme/s of your choice.

‍Step 3: Once you've found a template you like, click on it to open up the template bundle. Click on the size you want to open up the editor.

‍Step 4: Select the main element of the design and click "Replace" found on the right of your screen.

‍Step 5: Upload your image.

‍Step 6: You can customize your image further for an added effect by selecting your image and clicking on "Effects" found on the left of your screen. This is useful if you want to add effects like smoke, steam, condensation, etc.

‍Step 7: To add a shadow to your image, select it and click on "Drop shadow" found on the right of your screen.

‍Step 8: Download your final image.

Conclusion

Now that you are updated and inspired it's time to start creating your own graphic designs to spice up the food industry. A word of advice though. The industry is saturated and the food business is booming. You won't stand out by being mediocre.

What you need are some seriously drool-worthy designs that make your products irresistible. It may sound challenging, but if you stick to the 6 tips given in this article and use Glorify as an added boost, there's no telling what you can achieve.

If you're ready to create stunning food designs, get started with Glorify!