Many foods that are popular with consumers right now walk the line between health and indulgence: Take cauliflower wings, black bean burgers or broccoli mac and cheese – all comforting, but without the guilt that can go along with some comfort foods. The dips, spreads and sauces on your menu can also incorporate the best of both worlds, combining flavor and comfort without sacrificing health. Think about weaving seasonal vegetables into colorful hummus varieties or yogurt-based dips, or creating a flavorful dipping sauce with immune-boosting spices. At the start of a new year, many consumers are taking a closer look at their diets – at least for a little while – and trying to make incremental changes to improve their health. Restaurants that can make health and nutrition as palatable as possible stand to win over these guests. As you review your menu for the year, consider how you can ramp up the nutrition of your options in natural ways – with higher concentrations of nutrient-dense vegetables, fiber- and mineral-rich flours in place of refined options, or chameleon ingredients like cauliflower as alternatives to traditional rice or pizza crust. Covid has changed consumers’ relationship with foods, their ideas about health and their perceptions about what ingredients mean. According to Health & Wellness 2021: Reimagining Well-being Amid COVID-19, a new report from the Hartman Group, health and wellness have become more top-of-mind considerations for a broader set of consumers in the past two years as they have seen first-hand how infectious diseases, immunity, vaccine effectiveness and safety and mental health all play critical roles in their lives. They are now applying that experience to the foods they consume and are approaching menus more mindfully as a result. So what does that mean for restaurant operators? After the greater amount of time consumers have spent cooking meals at home in recent years, expect more scrutiny of ingredients, as well as the pursuit of less-processed, naturally plant-based foods. For example, the report indicates that more indulgent brands that are making wellness claims will need to be able to back them up more precisely – and that more natural presentations of plant-based proteins are likely to emerge as preferred options by health-conscious consumers. If you have a brand that is built around wellness, or if you simply make wellness claims around specific menu items, aim for simpler, unprocessed ingredients and be ready to answer questions about what’s on (and in) the menu. |
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April 2024
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