by Janet on November 27, 2011
What’s in store for us when we go out to eat in 2012? Here’s what Technomic, a foodservice research and consulting firm in Chicago, predicts will be the seven leading restaurant trends in the coming year.
A twist on the familiar. In today’s economy, shell-shocked consumers are in no mood to take risks, but novel flavors still tingle their taste buds. Look for comfort foods with a twist (gourmet, ethnic, artisan, wood-fired) as well as innovation in familiar formats (sandwiches, wraps, pizza, pasta) rather than breakout items taken from less-familiar global cuisines.
Mac & cheese made with fontina, dry jack fonduta and shaved black truffle topped with onion rings at Citizen’s Band by Niallkennedy on flickr.com.
Rustic fare made in-house. Commodity costs are rising, labor costs hold steady and diners demand rustic fare, the simple preparations of fresh ingredients. The result: restaurants will curtail purchases of value-added items in favor of cheaper cuts, beans, grains and produce that require more back-of-house prep to transform into honest, homestyle food.
Johnson’s Farm Rabbit Cassoulet with red beans, pork belly and bratwurst by Social Eatery on flickr.com.
Next steps in local sourcing. The rising use of seasonal and local items suits the less-is-more culinary trend. To facilitate purchasing, growers, manufacturers, distributors and operators continue to work toward a more transparent, safe and efficient supply chain, streamlining workflow, recording every step and reducing waste.
Power of social media. Consumers increasingly trust friends and peers more than professional marketers. They’re taking control of social media to share their restaurant experiences and opinions with the public (via review sites such as OpenTable), or with their own circles, such as Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare (and now Google+ as this article in QSR Magazine reviews). This helps some restaurants rocket to popularity and leaves others quiet.
Image courtesy of WaterStreetCC on flickr.com
Transparency rules. Restaurant customers are looking for disclosure of everything from calories and allergens on menus to labor and local-sourcing practices. A small but growing number are serious about nutrition, labeling, sustainability and community involvement, and they are using this knowledge to make purchasing decisions.
Resistance to discounting. The foodservice industry will continue to operate in a take-share environment, but discounting is cutting to the bone. To counter daily deals and other forms of discounting, operators turn to creative, sometimes in-the-moment, methods to reward their best customers, such as a free dessert out of the blue.
Brands expand through flexible formats. Format flexibility is required as restaurants cater to new around-the-clock day parts, switch gears from fast-casual by day to full-service at night, or transform their kitchens into catering commissaries during slow times. This flexibility is also evidenced in streamlined, high-effeciency smaller-footprint units and brand extensions.
Michael Kornick’s Fish Bar in Chicago by sbbenhcs on flickr.com.
Michael Kornick’s DMK Burger Bar in Chicago by Kidltamap on flickr.com.
Tagged as:
2012 restaurant trends
by Janet on November 15, 2011
Brussels sprouts are back. Or maybe they were never really in vogue. Whatever. But now these humble little cabbage heads are red hot, and there’s no turning back. The James Beard Foundation predicted that Brussels sprouts would be a big food trend in 2010 and that’s proved to be true.
Brussels sprouts: Lately we’ve been noticing these studded stalks for sale in grocery stores, and more and more New York chefs are celebrating them on their menus. We especially like Jonathan Waxman’s mandoline-shaved Brussels sprouts “crudo,” accompanied by lemon, walnuts, and Pecorino; the Vanderbilt, a new eatery in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, dresses them in lime, honey, and sriracha.
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, there’s no better time to try your hand at roasting Brussels sprouts. If you’ve not eaten these emerald orbs roasted, then you haven’t really given Brussels sprouts a chance.
I made my case for Brussels sprouts in my latest post for WebMD’s blog Real Life Nutrition. Hope you’ll check it out, along with some of the recipes I featured from Kalyn’s Kitchen.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan and Pine Nuts
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Gorgonzola Cheese
Shredded and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds and Parmesan
You’ll also find some great recipes for Brussels sprouts on Healthy Aperture. If you haven’t checked out this new food photo gallery that I helped create with Regan Jones of The Professional Palate, you need to!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy Brussels sprouts?
[image sling@flickr]
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Brussels sprouts
by Janet on November 2, 2011
All eyes have been on front-of-package nutrition labeling recently, with the release of the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations to help bring some consistency to front-of-pack systems. That’s great if we can unify the various efforts that call out nutritional attributes on packaged foods. Not sure if these new recommendations totally nailed it, but this is certainly an issue worth tackling.
What you see on the front of the label, however, is never going to be the full story. It’s still important to turn the package around and look at the Nutrition Facts panel that provides more detailed data on what’s inside. Consumers say they’re reading these labels, but an interesting study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association begs to differ. Researchers at the University of Minnesota used an eye-tracking device to see if shoppers were truly scouring those nutrition labels like they said they were.
The shoppers said one thing, but their eyes said another. Among the 203 study participants, 33% said they always look at the calories on the nutrition label, yet the eye-tracking tracking device found that only 9% actually checked the calories. Only 1% looked at other components on the label, even though they said they almost always look at total fat (31%), trans fat (20%), sugar (24%) and serving size (26%).
What shoppers do tend to look at are the nutrition claims on the front of a package. And that’s the topic of my latest post on the WebMD’s blog Real Life Nutrition. I wrote about the 6 claims that need a second look before you toss the products into your shopping cart.
- Trans fat free. Just because you see the words “trans fat free’ on the label is doesn’t mean the food is healthy. It could still be high in saturated fat or have lots of empty calories. Turn the package around to see what you’re really buying. If you see the word “hydrogenated” in the ingredient list, there could be some trans fats. A label can declare “zero grams” if there’s less than ½ gram per serving. So consider how many servings you might be eating. The trans fats can add up quickly.
- Made with whole grains. Look for the words “100% whole grain” or check the ingredient list for the words “whole” in front of wheat or other grains. Made with whole grains could mean made with very little. Some of the grains inside may be whole, but it could be as little as 5 percent.
- No high fructose corn syrup. This is no indication of the amount of sugar that’s in the food or beverage you’re about to buy. And just because you see a so-called “natural” sugar like agave nectar, there’s no real nutritional advantage unless the overall sugar content is reduced.
- Omega 3. When you see omega-3 touted on a food label (and it’s not fish) it’s likely ALA omega 3. Unless you see the words EPA or DHA, or you spot fish oil or algal oil in the ingredient list, it’s safe to assume that you’re only getting ALA – especially when the product contains flax, soybean oil or canola oil. That’s fine, but you should know that not all omega-3s are created equal. Our bodies need to convert ALA to the more potent DHA or EPA omega 3 that’s found in fish (and less than 10% is typically converted). You might be getting less of these beneficial fatty acids than you think.
- Detox. This has become an uber trendy term, but it’s basically meaningless. However, you’ll find it featured on the front of the label of protein bars, juices, teas and other beverages.
- Natural. It’s the big buzz word on package labels and there was even a recent food fight with the FDA to determine if high fructose corn syrup really qualifies as natural. Other companies have gotten their hands slapped for playing the natural card. We’re arguing over technicalities and the word has lost all meaning. I think if a food wasn’t actually plucked from a tree or grown from the ground, then it shouldn’t claim to be natural.
So what does this all mean? Go beyond the trendy words on the front of the package and check the nutrition facts and ingredients on the back to know what you’re really buying. Keep your eyes wide open when evaluating claims.
Image via libertygraceO on flickr
Tagged as:
detox,
food labels,
made with whole grains,
natural,
no high fructose corn syrup,
nutrition claims,
trans fat free
