You'll Never Have Fruit The Same Way Again After Trying This 2026 Trend

If you've spent time on the internet, you know that trends can come and go. The popular food trends in 2025 were not the same as the trends you can expect to see in 2026, and food, like fashion, has a way of being in one minute and out the next. However, one trend that won't be making its timely departure anytime soon is the beloved "fricy" combo. You may have heard of "swalty" food (sweet and salty), but this portmanteau of fruit and spicy flavors is one worth keeping your eyes on. 

Folks have not been shy about sharing all of the ways that they combine fruit with spicy ingredients. On Instagram, @realsimplefood shared how they mix spicy seasonings — including sumac and pul biber as a seasoning for fresh melon — and suggested some other notable pairings, like a Japanese seasoning made with dried chili, yuzu peel, and sansho called shichimi togarashi and amchur (green mango powder) for mango and gochugaru and ground hibiscus for pears.  

While these spice blends are a little more unconventional and will require that you have a well-stocked spice cabinet, you can also turn to tried-and-true Tajín or, perhaps, peruse the many Trader Joe's seasoning blends to find a product that suits your fancy. The combination of sweet, juicy fruit and piquant spice will balance the bite and make it that much more tantalizing. 

Melon and mango make excellent bases for your fruicy combinations because they can easily soak up all of those seasonings and can be enjoyed out of hand. However, you could also find creative ways to marry the two items, such as in drinks. A spicy addition to your lemonade, such as hot honey instead of plain sugar, would really dial the flavor up a notch, while spicy margaritas are the tried-and-true drinks of the summer that come in a myriad of fruity flavors — check out Ksenia Prints' spicy grapefruit mezcal variety for inspiration. 

You can also create delectable "fricy" combinations in your favorite dishes. Start with an easy mango salsa and upgrade its flavor with spicy serranos. Or, take a page from celebrity chef Giada de Laurentiis' playbook and heat up your fruit salad with red pepper flakes. There are so many ways to experiment with this flavor combo, which is why it's safe to say that it's not going anywhere.