In the recent past, as awareness around health and nutrition has increased, more attention is being drawn to various dietary trends. New, popular dietary trends such as the Mediterranean diet, plant-based diet, veganism, and vegetarianism, to name a few, have dramatically grown in popularity. This has forced consumers to take a close look at their eating habits and the nutritional value of what they are consuming regularly.
All this said, with so many new dietary trends, businesses (foodservice providers in particular) need to cater to the health-conscious consumer to be successful. They have to make sure that they have options on their menu that align with these trends and also continue to stay up to date and adjust their food offerings accordingly.
Utilizing a nutritional value calculator software can be of immense help in this case. It allows foodservice providers to know exactly what they are putting in their dishes and enables them to relay this information to consumers. It can elevate their businesses by showing they are being attentive and aware of what is going into their dishes, and therefore care about the health of their valued customers.
Dietary Trends in 2020
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is one that is widely adhered to by people from Greece and Italy. This diet primarily consisting of whole grains, good fats (fish, olive oil, nuts, etc.), vegetables, fruits, fish, and very low consumption of any non-fish meat, is popular for its proven results to lower heart disease, obesity, and other life-threatening diseases.
Many consumers are flocking to this diet for its numerous nutritional benefits that focus on high-protein and low-carbohydrate foods. In addition to combatting many chronic diseases, if adhered to strictly, it is extremely effective in terms of weight loss.
Read more: COVID-19, Restaurants and Foodservice, Part One
DASH Diet
The DASH Diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This specific diet which is not as well known as others focuses on portion control. This is a common problem for consumers, especially in the United States.
Designed to help lower blood pressure, the DASH diet plan prevents osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and strokes. It does this by forcing consumers to reduce the sodium in their diets.
In North America, there have been many studies that show that portions are double, sometimes even triple, the size of the recommended amount compared to other places in the world. A key component to weight loss is eating a balanced diet in regard to nutrients, as well as portion sizes. Many consumers fail to read the nutrition label to see the suggested serving size, and do not measure their food accurately, thus causing overeating which leads to eventual weight gain.
Using a nutritional value calculator for your business can help you and your consumers be more aware of serving sizes and the proper nutrition that is being consumed. It provides transparency, which helps build trust between your customers and the company.
Read more: COVID-19, Restaurants and Foodservice, Part Two
The Plant-Based Diet
The plant-based diet consists primarily or entirely of foods that come from plants. For instance, some of these food products would include vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruits. Animal products are either mostly or completely eliminated from this particular diet, depending on the severity of it and how strictly the person participating adheres to such practices. Meats and cheeses are being replaced with plant-based products, providing more appealing options to consumers who are electing to participate in this movement.
Aside from the health factor, it also appeals to people who are environmentally-conscious and want to live as sustainably as possible. A plant-based diet is very animal-friendly for it does not require the use of these or their products, and supports farms and agriculture as a whole. Serving these customers can bode very well for your establishment. It means that you’re supporting a good cause and you are willing to cater to your health-conscious consumers.
The Value of Good Nutrition
It is of the utmost importance to learn about and practice good nutrition in your foodservice practices. When all is said and done, consumers want to be healthy in mind and body. They need healthy options to choose from when dining out, and need to have access to accurate nutrition information to appropriately select and monitor what is going into their bodies. A nutrition analysis software can do this by shedding light on the composition of a foodservice professional’s menu.
Having detailed nutrition information as part of their menu shows that foodservice providers are being transparent about the ingredients of their dishes as well as the overall nutritional value. Accurate nutrition labels produced by nutrition analysis software not only helps foodservice providers and customers become more educated and aware of proper nutrition, but it also helps people live healthy lives. This also gives the foodservice provider credibility, resulting in satisfied and loyal customers for the establishment.
Nutritional Value Calculator Software
It can be challenging for foodservice providers to stay on top of the latest dietary trends, as new ones continue to emerge constantly. What consumers want is consistently changing as more information becomes available on nutrition.
MenuSano is a nutritional value calculator software that will help you adhere to these dietary trends and adjust your menu accordingly. The software provides numerous benefits. Most importantly, however, is the fact that it gives foodservice providers detailed, accurate information about the ingredients they are using. As a business, this will allow you to be transparent with your customers. This also shows that you are aware of the latest dietary trends and that you are doing the best you can to cater to consumers who are currently participating.
MenuSano’s nutritional value calculator software is a dynamic tool that allows foodservice providers to target and cater to healthy consumers. Restaurants can also appeal to a broader customer base, which in turn boosts their popularity in the food industry. These professionals can prove they are putting in the effort to create healthy dishes by creating, printing, and showcasing accurate nutrition labels.
This process allows the foodservice industry to bridge the gap between the latest dietary trends in 2020 and their menu offerings, which ultimately leads to success.
