As technology, tastes and trends advance, there’s one aspect of foodservice that won’t be going away any time soon—dietary restrictions. In fact, the need for more solutions will only continue to grow. While just 15% of consumers overall follow some sort of restrictive diet, including vegetarian and vegan, 21% of younger diners fall into this category, Technomic’s Center of the Plate: Seafood & Vegetarian Consumer Trend Report finds.
Fortunately, operators are coming up with a bevy of creative ways to meet the reality of these challenges while fitting a variety of diets and lifestyles.
One benefit of the massive customization trend in noncommercial: It’s easier to cater to multiple dietary restrictions. At YouTube’s San Bruno, Calif., campus, GM for Bon Appetit Trent Page introduced a ramen bar with a vegan broth that cooks in just 15 minutes, and serves noodles, eggs and vegetable garnishes separately. “Separating the components makes it more customizable and adaptable to people with allergies or dietary preferences,” he says. Pork and chicken also are available for diners who want to add animal protein—though the Technomic report finds 59% of diners consume meatless meals at least once a week.
Halal meat, which is prepared in accordance with Muslim law, has grown 70% on college and university menus in the past year, according to Technomic’s 2016 Q1 Noncommercial Insights Report, and is making inroads in other noncommercial areas as well. Operators at the University of California at San Diego saw a dining hall revamp as an opportunity to specifically cater to students’ needs. The 13,000-square-foot OceanView eatery now offers kosher and halal options from harissa chicken to beef meatballs to wood-fired pizzas to baked goods. One station, Spice, adheres to glatt kosher restrictions, while others are more relaxed, says Jason Andrews, development manager. Since opening in January, he told FoodService Director, OceanView has seen “an unusually large amount of visitors from the [local] Jewish community.”
The surprisingly massive jackfruit (individual fruits can weigh up to 80 pounds) is making a massive splash on menus, and was Pinterest’s top predicted trend for 2017. When cooked and seasoned, the yellow-orange flesh tastes like and has a similar texture to pulled pork, making it a great fit for vegetarians and vegans—and diners curious about the buzzy ingredient. Brandon Price, culinary director at Even Stevens Sandwiches, recommends using canned jackfruit to cut down on labor costs while retaining flavor.
With food costs and health on the brain, operators are cutting back on beef in favor of new proteins. Meanwhile, 39% of college students—those hitting the business world next—say waste reduction is one of their most valued dining initiatives, finds Technomic's 2015 College & University Consumer Trend Report, the most recent data available. Recipes for burgers that incorporate cauliflower, beans, amaranth, chickpeas, kelp and quinoa are on the menu at Google’s Highline Cafe in New York City; a 100% plant-based burger uses vegetable pulp from the cafe’s juice bars, chia seeds and grain. “We are trying to be a better partner for our food systems,” Regional Executive Chef Mike Wurster told FoodService Director.
There's no flavor quite like home, a sentiment diners share, no matter their age. Consumer interest is up for classic, comforting meat dishes like meatballs (16%), beef pot pie (26%) and meatloaf (12%) for dinner compared to two years ago, Technomic’s 2017 Center of the Plate: Beef & Pork Consumer Trend Report finds. But operators can play up more than just the beef on the plate. At Southern Foodservice's two corporate dining halls, Iraj Fernando, executive chef and manager, tops a traditional shepherd's pie with ginger and sweet potatoes. “If you add a few more interesting ingredient descriptions,” says Fernando, “[diners’] eyes open.”
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