10 Ways to Serve Health on the Menu in 2021

• Soups are a hot canvas for vegetables and nutritious food, making them perfect for January menus. Fermented and pickled ingredients like miso and pickled vegetables improve gut health while adding an extra tang to soup. 

• Sweet potatoes give chefs an opportunity to provide leaner fare without abandoning comfort food. Serve healthier versions of sweet potato sides or use it in vegan pizza and quiche crusts. 

• Ancient grains are an opportunity to bring creativity, variety, and SKU optimization to the menu. Adventurous foodies and health-minded eaters alike are moving beyond rice to try out quinoa, farro, and amaranth. These grains are full of nutrients and can be used across the menu, from sides to food bowls. 

• Though not always high in nutritional value, plant-based meat allows consumers to achieve an increasingly common New Year’s resolution: lessen environmental impact. Many of the consumers trying plant-based meat for the first time are from households with children. Having plant-based burgers and chicken nuggets on the kids’ menu could entice parents who are trying to diversify their children’s diets. 

• Given the difficulty of this year, it’s no surprise that consumers are interested in developing eating habits that improve physical as well as mental health. Some foods proven to boost mental health include salmon, dark leafy greens, and legumes. 

• For 57 percent of global consumers, the pandemic has raised concerns about their immunity. Adding citrus, ginger, turmeric, and other immunity-boosting ingredients can enhance both the nutritional value and flavor of beverages. 

• Moon milk—which is essentially a spiced, warm milk—is both nourishing and comforting in winter months. Experiment with plant-based milks, spices, purées, powders, and honey to develop a distinct blend. 

• Reducing alcohol consumption is another common resolution. With interest in low and no ABV drinks growing over 332 percent in five years, increased demand for non-alcoholic beverages goes well beyond Dry January. Put as much attention into the mocktail menu as the cocktail menu to capitalize on this growing trend. 

• Kombucha’s presence on U.S. menus has grown 317 percent in four years according to Datassential SNAP! Fermented juices, kefir, and other fermented drinks and ingredients are riding kombucha’s coattails. Experiment with fermentation to create bold alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that help consumers increase their probiotic intake. 

Serving healthy menu items to kick off the new year is great, but not if diners aren’t sure what’s good for them. With diets and food fads coming and going all the time, consumers second guess their eating choices. One survey found that eight in 10 people have encountered conflicting information about what they should be eating.

Share the benefits of specific ingredients and tout items that meet dietary requirements on the menu, website, social media, and throughout other communication. If this year has taught the restaurant industry anything, it’s that people value transparency. That applies just as much to safety protocols as nutritional information.