 As labor shortages continue to pressure foodservice operations, many kitchens are turning to shelf-stable foods to improve flexibility and reduce prep demands. Products like shelf-stable dairy, ready-to-use grains, sauces, legumes, and aseptic soups are helping operators manage labor gaps while minimizing waste and storage constraints. According to the National Restaurant Association, 70 percent of restaurant operators report positions that are difficult to fill, while 45 percent say they have insufficient staff to meet demand.
Shelf-stable products can simplify workflows by reducing refrigeration needs, extending shelf life, and cutting time spent on prep and inventory management. In healthcare and senior living settings, they can also support emergency preparedness and menu continuity during supply disruptions. Some operators are pairing these ingredients with scratch cooking to preserve quality and interest while easing labor strain: Think shelf-stable quinoa and brown rice blends as a base for grain bowls, then adding freshly roasted seasonal vegetables, herbs, and made-from-scratch dressings. As off-premises dining and lean staffing models continue to expand, ambient foods are becoming less of a backup solution and more of a strategic operational tool across foodservice. In what ways are you integrating them into your operation?  According to research from Technomic, 85 percent of restaurant operators are concerned about high food costs. Separate research from Datassential found that 63 percent of operators say they could use some help in developing new dishes and menu ideas. If you look at the restaurant business environment right now, operators are being asked to do what can feel impossible: Labor is tight, skills are hard to come by, food costs are high, and yet consumers are still looking for new and exciting dishes fast. As a result, restaurant operators need to somehow work magic with the items they have in their inventory. Are your ingredients working as hard as they could? You’re in a stronger position to do so if you have sauces, grains, pre-chopped vegetables and other items on hand that are cost-effective, can function across the menu and don’t take a lot of time (or training) to prepare. Looking for ideas to expand your menu in efficient ways? The Scoop product line from US Foods provides some options to explore.
|
Subscribe to our newsletter
Archives
August 2026
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed