Cabbage Is the "It" Food of 2026, Here's Why You'll Be Seeing It Everywhere

According to Chinese astrology, 2026 is the Year of the Horse. According to Vogue, 2026 is the Year of the Cabbage. Kale had its time in the spotlight. Cauliflower has been riced to death. Now, a new star of the brassica family steps forward, and it’s all about cabbage, baby. No more hate for this cruciferous vegetable. This kraut now has clout.

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Cool kids love cabbage

It might be unintuitive to think of humble cabbage as trendy, but here we are. Cabbage is no longer just meant to be shredded and drenched in mayonnaise at the Fourth of July cookout, or live forever in your memory as the reason your grandma’s kitchen smelled gently of farts. From an aesthetics standpoint, cabbage is turning into something of a fashion icon, their flowers popping up floral arrangements and full heads of the stuff appearing in ads for brands like Burberry and Highgrove or as inspiration for Sandy Liang’s cabbage bag.

Cabbage’s culinary moment

As a wise Joey Tribiani once said, “That’s a great story, can I eat it?”

Excellent news. You can (and should) eat cabbage. From a culinary standpoint, the vegetable is being appreciated as recipes are going viral for tasting great, and people are getting hip to the nutritional value of it all. Not only is cabbage famously affordable, typically between $0.60 and $1.50 per pound for green cabbage, but it’s also packed with nutrition. Aside from being low in calorie and high in fiber, it also provides a whole host of vitamins and minerals. It’s said to help reduce inflammation, improve digestion, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, and aid in bone strength.

How to prepare it

It seems unfair that something this good for you could ever taste good, but cabbage hears your doubt and says “hold my beer.” In addition to tried-and-true delicious probiotic powerhouses like kimchi and sauerkraut, cabbage is moving out of the jar with viral recipes like garlic parm melting cabbage and cabbage boils. Drop your favorite ways to prepare cabbage in the comments!

About the Author

Hebba Gouda is a freelance contributor to Sporked who will die on the hill that a hot dog is not a sandwich. She’s proud to spend weekends falling asleep at 9 p.m. listening to podcasts, always uses the Oxford comma, and has been described as “the only person who actually likes New Jersey.” She’d love to know how on earth she somehow always has dirty dishes, if donkeys hear better than horses, and how the heck you’re doing today? Hopefully swell - thanks for reading!