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In last week's blog we talked about the rise of healthy fast food outlets and how in recent years, diners have started to become much more conscious about their meal choices. Now when we dine out in restaurants, many of us will actively seek out the healthiest options on the menu.
So, when a diner takes a look at your menu, will they be satisfied with the healthy dishes on offer? Catering for health-conscious diners involves creating fresh, wholesome dishes that are reasonably low in calories but still bursting with flavour. Here are some thoughts:
Portion control - While diners want to think that they're getting bang for their buck, loading dishes with food can be overwhelming. Not only this, but huge portion sizes are sometimes considered to be a compromise for lack of quality. Serving reasonable-sized dishes to diners will keep them happy, limit waste and keep your restaurant profitable.
Limiting oil - Instead of frying fish or meat, why not promote the option to grill it instead?
Wholegrain - If your menu includes any bread, pasta or rice-based dishes, you could consider offering wholegrain alternatives.
Sauce on the side - That salad was healthy until you smothered a rich sauce all over it just before serving. If you've got any salad choices on your menu, you could ask your diners if they want their sauce or dressing on the side?
Wording - Though you might want to shout about your healthy meal options, labelling them as 'low salt' or 'low-calorie' doesn't sound particularly appealing and may even put diners off from ordering the dish. Instead, you could focus on the fresh ingredients used to create the dishes and actively encourage your front of house staff to engage with the diners to promote this.
