After a summer of unseasonably hot temperatures, the thought of cooler weather and cozy foods may be especially appealing to your guests. Think hearty soups and stews, pasta bakes, potato dishes and creative takes on macaroni and cheese. As you plan menus for the months ahead, consider how you can stretch your ingredients on hand, whether that includes produce that can support a pasta dish as well as a sandwich, or cuts of meat that you wouldn’t normally feature at the center of the plate but which can elevate a soup or savory pie.

Earlier this year, a survey from The Food Group found that while consumers continue to enjoy comfort foods, they are clearly looking to incorporate more ingredients with health benefits into their diets. The survey of 200 adults aged 21 to 40 in the U.S. found that almost half plan to buy more plant-based products. This was the case even though the majority of respondents identified as carnivores or flexitarians. More than half of those surveyed – nearly 60 percent – said they are looking to increase their purchases of functional foods including fruits, vegetables and seafood, while doing the same with beverages including coffee, tea and kombucha. When you serve up a comforting entrée or appetizer, look for ways to boost its functionality (and overall appeal) by weaving these ingredients into the recipe, its accompanying sauces and sides.

​Consumers have always turned to restaurants for comfort – and amid an ongoing years-long pandemic and a shaky economy, comfort is especially welcome right now. A Food & Wine survey of chefs at the end of 2021 revealed that comfort foods are likely to maintain their hold in 2022, with restaurants offering elevated twists on comfort-food classics. That could mean nostalgic foods like meatloaf or mac & cheese but with global flavors, starchy foods like breads and pastas prepared fresh, or simple appetizers and entrées that connect people with the recipes they experimented with and enjoyed during lockdowns.

The winter months are meant for noshing. The cozy nights in, weekends watching sports on TV, and casual gatherings with friends all call for tempting comfort foods across the menu. As the weather cools, how can your menu persuade people to place an order instead of cook? Think tempting appetizers that can be shared, family-style entrées for social gatherings, and multi-course meal bundles that can be ordered for easy weeknight dinners.

While life has slowly opened back up in recent months as more people have received the Covid-19 vaccine, concern has lingered for families with children who are too young to receive the vaccine and others who have health conditions that prevent them from receiving it. As a result, this winter we can expect to see more families reforming the bubbles they created for support in the early months of the pandemic. It’s something to consider when planning your menu and marketing promotions. For families, meal bundles will likely continue to be in demand for not only the holidays but for weekend meals throughout the winter. Think about offering soups and comfort foods that can be taken home to fill the freezer, promotions that offer discounted kids’ meals with the purchase of adult meals, or to-go packages of appetizers, entrées, cocktails and desserts for small groups. At the same time, this winter could also present an opportunity for you to make your onsite promotions extra special for guests who don’t fit those categories and are looking for a good excuse to go out. Consider offering prix-fixe meals for two, date-night cocktail specials or dessert samplers, bringing in musicians, or hosting private events with your chef or sommelier

Sometimes, your guests may not be looking to eat what’s new, unusual or on-trend. Comfort foods have their place on the menu too. Dishes that are rooted in nostalgia and remind people of childhood, of family recipes, or of simpler times can be powerful offerings – and can attract a loyal following. Is there a dish on your menu that is asking for a classic reinvention?

As summer starts to cool off and fall arrives, your guests will start to crave cozy comfort foods like soups, stews and hearty entrées. At the same time, they will continue to be drawn to meals with healthy, fresh ingredients that can be enjoyed as weeknight take-outs on busy nights, as well as at the end of busy weeks. Do you offer a range of options that tick the comfort-food box and provide some plant-forward nutrition or other healthy ingredients?

While consumers gravitate toward nutrient-dense, diet-friendly foods at the start of the year, comfort foods are still very much in demand – and during a tough winter like this one, we could all use some comfort, right? You can balance these somewhat-conflicting demands by adding some new comfort foods to your menu of side orders – or offering different sizes of comfort foods on your entrée menu. Rich, warming foods may be an easier sell if your customers have the option of trying smaller servings.

You don’t have to make regular changes to key ingredients and seasonings to add interest to your menu. Even adding unexpected textures, adjusting pasta shapes and swapping in new colors of produce can help elevate a dish into something people are more excited to order. As you review your menu, where are there easy opportunities to make a dish into something more special – something a step above what a person might prepare at home?