FoodService Director has released the results of The Big Picture, which we believe is the most comprehensive non-commercial research project ever conducted. As the name suggests, our goal is to give readers a thorough look into the non-commercial industry—not only at where the industry is currently, but, more important, a peek at where the non-commercial markets are heading. In the following slideshow you’ll find a wealth of knowledge from the Health & Wellness category.
Click here to read more about The Big Picture project
Operations, Especially on College Campuses, Add Gluten-free Menu Options
When Michele Wilbur, R.D., joined the staff of Cornell Dining four years ago, gluten-free options were something specially prepared for the rare student who’d been diagnosed with celiac disease. Today, Cornell University has a Gluten-Free Task Force, gluten-free bread available at every sandwich station, a retail outlet that sells primarily gluten-free items and classes on gluten-free cooking for the culinary staff.
Making Menus Healthier
Operators have employed many tactics to make their menus healthier. Increasing fruits and vegetables and whole-grain offerings are the most frequently used strategies. In the next 12 months, operators in general plan to offer more gluten-free options to make their menus healthier.
Wellness Programs Working—In Theory
According to The Big Picture research, 71% of operators have an employee wellness program and a great majority of them say they believe the wellness programs are working. Offering everything from nutrition guidance to smoking cessation classes and even sleep-well clinics, such programs are geared toward stemming rising healthcare costs.
What is “Stealth Health?”
Fifty-two percent of operators aren’t familiar with the term “stealth health,” according to research from The Big Picture. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t practicing it in their operations.
Schools and Colleges Say “No Thanks” to Health Incentives
Operators don’t agree when it comes to incentivizing healthful selections. Forty-four percent of B&I operators offer some kind of healthy-option incentive, which is significantly higher than all other segments and almost 20 percentage points higher than the next closest segment, hospitals with 25%.