Before seed oils took over professional kitchens in the 1990s, beef tallow was the fat that gave American diners and French bistros their flavor. Now, it is back, and Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council has named it the number one food trend for 2026. Chefs, it turns out, were already ahead of it.

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 C6EFC? @7 E2==@H :D ?@E 2 ?:496 H6==?6DD >@G6 @C 2 ?@DE2=8:2 EC:A] xE :D 2 42E68@CJ E92E 92D 4C@DD65 2 E9C6D9@=5 >@DE 7@@5 EC6?5D ?6G6C C6249] $2=6D @7 7@@5 AC@5F4ED 4@?E2:?:?8 3667 E2==@H 9:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7=2G@C:DE]4@>^3667\E2==@H\>2<6D\2\>2:?DEC62>\4@>6324<\2D\>2;@C\7@@5\4@>A2?:6D\6>3C246\E96\>292\72E^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmS`]` 3:==:@?k^2m 7@C E96 da H66<D 6?5:?8 |2C49 a_ae[ 2 afdT :?4C62D6 @G6C E96 D2>6 A6C:@5 E9C66 J62CD AC:@C] |2;@C D?24< 3C2?5D[ :?4=F5:?8 &EK 2?5 r@?28C2[ 92G6 25565 E2==@H\4@@<65 AC@5F4ED E@ E96:C =:?6D E9:D J62C] %96 72E E92E @?46 8@E E9C@H? 2H2J 5FC:?8 AC@46DD:?8 :D ?@H 2 3:==:@?\5@==2C 42E68@CJ]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmr967D H6C6 2=C625J E96C6 7:CDEk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm{@?8 367@C6 E96 D2=6D 7:8FC6D 2CC:G65[ 4@@<D H6C6 BF:6E=J AFEE:?8 E2==@H 324< E@ H@C< :? H2JD E92E 925 ?@E9:?8 E@ 5@ H:E9 E96 7CJ6C] pE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]C@D6>2CJ49:428@]4@>^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm#@D6 |2CJk^2m :? r9:428@[ x==:?@:D[ 7@C 6I2>A=6[ 4967\@H?6C y@6 u=2>> E@AD 9:D EF?2 4CF5@ H:E9 2 D92==@E\3667 72E G:?2:8C6EE6 2?5 G62= 2:@=:] xE :D ?@E 2 DE62<9@FD6 =62?:?8 :?E@ 3667 7@C @3G:@FD C62D@?D] xE :D 2? :?G6?E:G6 <:E496? FD:?8 E2==@H E96 H2J 2 4=2DD:42==J EC2:?65 4@@< FD6D 8@@5 3FEE6C[ 2D 2 72E H:E9 6?@F89 A6CD@?2=:EJ E@ 42CCJ 2 5:D9 @? :ED @H?]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp4C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ[ <:E496?D 7C@> xE2=:2? EC2EE@C:2D E@ 7:?6\42DF2= DA@ED C6249 7@C :E :? D:>:=2C H2JD] %96J H9:A :E H:E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^96C3D^Qm96C3Dk^2m 7@C 3C625 D6CG:46[ 7@=5 :E :?E@ D2F46D 2?5 FD6 :E E@ 7:?:D9 AC@E6:?D E92E ?6G6C D66 2 7CJ6C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 5C:G:?8 724E@C 7@C >@DE 4967D :D A6C7@C>2?46] q667 E2==@H H:E9DE2?5D DFDE2:?65 9:89 962E H:E9@FE 3C62<:?8 5@H?[ >62?:?8 4=62?6C @:=[ =@?86C 7CJ =:76 2?5 2 566A6C 8@=56? 4@=@C @? 2?JE9:?8 E92E 9:ED :E] uC:6D 56G6=@A 2 C:496C 2C@>2[ 2?5 C@2DE65 G686E23=6D A:4< FA 2 D2G@CJ ?@E6 E92E ?6FEC2= @:=D D:>A=J 42??@E 56=:G6C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmq:D4F:ED 2?5 A:6 4CFDED 32<65 H:E9 E2==@H 4@>6 @FE 7=2<:6C E92? 3FEE6C 2=@?6 42? >2?286] “x DH:E4965 2 =@E @7 >J @H? 4@@<:?8 @G6C E@ 3667 E2==@H J62CD 28@[ =@?8 367@C6 :E 3642>6 2 EC6?5] %96 5:776C6?46 :? 7C:65 2?5 C@2DE65 7@@5D :D C62=] %96 E6IEFC6 9@=5D FA :? 2 H2J D665 @:=D ;FDE 42?’E C6A=:42E6[” D2:5 y6DD:42 w2882C5 @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AC:>2=6586962=E9]4@>^Qm!C:>2= t586 w62=E9k^2m] “u@C 2?J@?6 ECJ:?8 E@ 62E >@C6 ?FEC:6?E\56?D6[ EC25:E:@?2= 7@@5D[ E2==@H 92D 2=H2JD >256 D6?D6] xE’D ?:46 E@ D66 E96 C6DE @7 E96 7@@5 H@C=5 42E49:?8 FA]”k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm%96 7CJ DE2E:@? :D H96C6 E96 ?F>36CD D9@H FAk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmpE E96 72DE\42DF2= =6G6=[ E2==@H’D >@G6 :?E@ 4@>>6C4:2= <:E496?D :D 2=C625J 92AA6?:?8 2E D42=6] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]BDC>282K:?6]4@>^?6HD^DE62<\?\D92<6\>@G:?8\E@\`__\A6C46?E\3667\E2==@H\:?\C6DE2FC2?ED^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm$E62< ‘? $92<6k^2m 4@>>:EE65 2== @7 :ED 7CJ6CD E@ `__T 3667 E2==@H 24C@DD 2== =@42E:@?D 3J 62C=J a_ad] &EK =2F?4965 2 E2==@H\4@@<65 G6CD:@? @7 :ED q@F=56C r2?J@? r=2DD:4 $62 $2=E 49:AD[ 7@==@H:?8 :ED vC2?5>2 &EK z6EE=6\$EJ=6 A@E2E@ 49:AD[ H9:49 2=C625J 762EFC65 E96 72E] r@?28C2 FD6D 3667 E2==@H E@ 5@F3=6\4@@< :ED #636= #@@ED 4C:DAJ 7C:6D 2?5 AC@>:?6?E=J 762EFC6D E96 :?8C65:6?E @? A24<28:?8 2D 2 A@:?E @7 5:776C6?46]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 4@?DF>6C 2AA6E:E6 :D C62= 2?5 >62DFC23=6] p k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]BDC>282K:?6]4@>^?6HD^DFCG6J\J@F?8\5:?6CD\5C:G6\D9:7E\E@H2C5\3667\E2==@H\@G6C\D665\@:=D^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm|2C49 a_ae DFCG6Jk^2m 7@F?5 E92E daT @7 5:?6CD 286D `g E@ bc D2J <?@H:?8 H96E96C 2 C6DE2FC2?E FD6D 3667 E2==@H @C D665 @:=D 27764ED H96C6 E96J 49@@D6 E@ 62E] p>@?8 5:?6CD dd 2?5 @=56C[ E92E 7:8FC6 5C@AD E@ bbT] r@@<:?8 72E 92D 364@>6 2 7C@?E\@7\9@FD6 4@?G6CD2E:@?]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm%96 3C2?5D >2<:?8 :E 62DJ E@ 4@@< 2E 9@>6k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmu@C 9@>6 4@@<D[ E96 2446DD:3:=:EJ DE@CJ 92D 492?865 D:8?:7:42?E=J :? E96 A2DE `g >@?E9D] u~}s vC2DD\u65 %2==@H[ H9@D6 rt~ p=JD2 $66=2?5 D2:5 D96 925 366? 56G6=@A:?8 E96 AC@5F4E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]>@56C?C6E2:=]4@^@A6C2E:@?D^3667\E2==@H\:D\DE2CE:?8\E@\8@\>2:?DEC62>\@?\8C@46CJ\D96=G6D^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmD:?46 a_`hk^2m H:E9 E96 4@?46AE @7 2 7=2G@C65 >62E 3FEE6C 2=H2JD :? >:?5[ 6IA2?565 7C@> 5:C64E\E@\4@?DF>6C :?E@ C6E2:= 27E6C 56>2?5 AF==65 :E :?E@ wtq[ $AC@FED 2?5 p=36CED@?D 367@C6 =2?5:?8 @? (9@=6 u@@5D D96=G6D :? 72== a_ad] tA:4 !C@G:D:@?D q667 %2==@H 2?5 $@FE9 r9:428@ !24<:?8 (28JF q667 %2==@H r@@<:?8 $AC2J C@F?5 @FE 2 C6E2:= D96=7 E92E 32C6=J 6I:DE65 E9C66 J62CD 28@]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 ?@D6\E@\E2:= 2?8=6 255D 2 5:>6?D:@? E92E AFC6 A6C7@C>2?46 42??@E] u2E E92E H2D 5:D42C565 5FC:?8 3667 AC@46DD:?8 ?@H 4@>>2?5D 2 AC6>:F>] u@C 3C2?5D E92E D@FC46 C686?6C2E:G6=J 2?5 7@C C6DE2FC2?ED E92E H2?E E@ 9@?@C E96 H9@=6 2?:>2=[ E2==@H 4@?G6CED H92E H2D @?46 H2DE6 :?E@ 2 AC@5F4E H@CE9 762EFC:?8 @? E96 >6?F]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm(92E 5:?6CD 24EF2==J 49@@D6k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 AC676C6?46 52E2 4FED 282:?DE E96 2DDF>AE:@? E92E D665 @:=D C6>2:? E96 5672F=E] %96 D2>6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]BDC>282K:?6]4@>^?6HD^DFCG6J\J@F?8\5:?6CD\5C:G6\D9:7E\E@H2C5\3667\E2==@H\@G6C\D665\@:=D^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmDFCG6Jk^2m 7@F?5 E92E ?62C=J ` :? c &]$] 5:?6CD ?@H AC676C EC25:E:@?2= 2?:>2= 72ED[ :?4=F5:?8 3FEE6C 2?5 3667 E2==@H[ H96? 62E:?8 @FE[ 4@>A2C65 H:E9 `d]eT H9@ AC676C D665 @C G686E23=6 @:=D] %92E :D 2 82A E92E E96 C6DE2FC2?E :?5FDECJ :D @?=J 368:??:?8 E@ AC:46 :?E@ :ED 564:D:@?D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7@@53FD:?6DD?6HD]?6E^2CE:4=6D^ah`cb\H9@=6\7@@5D\D66D\E2==@H\7:36C\2D\<6J\a_ae\EC6?5DQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm(9@=6 u@@5D |2C<6Ek^2m[ @?6 @7 E96 C6E2:= :?5FDECJ’D >@DE\H2E4965 7@C642DE:?8 3@5:6D[ AFE E2==@H 2E E96 E@A @7 :ED a_ae EC6?5D =:DE DA64:7:42==J 7@C E96 7@C>D :E :D E2<:?8 36J@?5 E96 7CJ6C] (9:AA65[ 96C3 :?7FD65[ D>@<65[ 7@=565 :?E@ 362C?2:D6[ A:A65 @?E@ 3C625[ E96 72E :D 7:?5:?8 ?6H 6IAC6DD:@? :? <:E496?D E92E 92G6 ?@ :?E6C6DE :? ?@DE2=8:2 7@C :ED @H? D2<6]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm(96C6 E96 72E 8@6D 7C@> 96C6k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp 3:==:@? 5@==2CD :? 2??F2= D2=6D :D 2 >62?:?87F= E9C6D9@=5[ 3FE E96 >@C6 E6==:?8 :?5:42E@C :D H92E :D 92AA6?:?8 @? C6DE2FC2?E >6?FD] %2==@H 92D >@G65 7C@> E96 324< @7 E96 7CJ DE2E:@? E@ E96 7C@?E @7 E96 A=2E6] r967D H9@ @?46 H@F=5 92G6 C624965 7@C 3FEE6C 2D 2 7:?:D9:?8 72E 2C6 C6249:?8 7@C E2==@H :?DE625[ 2?5 E96 C6DF=ED[ :? 7=2G@C[ E6IEFC6 2?5 56AE9[ 2C6 8:G:?8 E96> C62D@? E@ <66A 8@:?8] %96 2?46DEC2= :?8C65:6?E E92E D665 @:=D ?62C=J 6C2D65 :D ?@H E96 @?6 E96 7@@5 :?5FDECJ :D DEF5J:?8 E@ F?56CDE2?5 H92E :E >:DD65]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm|2?5J pAA=682E6 :D E96 4C62E@C 369:?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DA=2D9@7E2DE6]4@>^Qm$A=2D9 @7 %2DE6k^2m 2?5 D6G6? @E96C 9:89\AC@7:=6 7@@5 2?5 EC2G6= 3=@8D] $96’D 2=D@ E96 4@\7@F?56C @7 u@@5 sC:?< {:76 x?4][ 2 F?:BF6 2?5 9:89=J C6H2C5:?8 4@==23@C2E:G6 3=@886C AC@;64E] w6C 2CE:4=6D 2AA62C 7C6BF6?E=J @? >2;@C @?=:?6 ?6HD D:E6D[ 2?5 D96 2=H2JD 92D 96C 6J6D @A6? E@ DA@E E96 ?6IE 3:8 EC6?5]k^Am
kAm%96 A@DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^3667\E2==@H\EC6?5^Qm(9@=6 u@@5D ?2>65 3667 E2==@H :ED E@A a_ae EC6?5[ 2?5 4967D 2C6 2=C625J H2J 29625 @7 :Ek^2m 2AA62C65 7:CDE @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m]k^Am

