Restaurants have seen a rise in healthy eating habits. Restaurants are responding to changing consumer preferences for healthy eating by offering healthier options and catering to different diets. There are now a lot of health-conscious customers who prefer to eat in healthy restaurants. Restaurant owners must find ways to accommodate popular alternative diets like Paleo, Keto, and Gluten-Free. You will attract a broader audience to your menu.
How to Make Your Restaurant Menu More Popular
There is a demand for specific diets in the F&B industry. While each diet addresses different needs, they all serve the same purpose: To promote a healthier lifestyle. Look at some of the most well-known special diets on the restaurant menu.
Paleo DietPaleo is a popular alternative diet that emphasizes eating whole, unprocessed foods daily. Paleo is rich in protein and includes non-starchy fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean meat. Paleo is a strict diet that avoids processed and packaged foods, soft drinks, and alcohol and excludes dairy products, processed oils, and artificial sweeteners.
Vegan Diet
The vegan diet is a modified version of the vegetarian diet. It excludes all animal-related products. The vegan diet promotes the right to all life and encourages people to choose healthier, sustainable, cruelty-free food choices. Vegans are restricted from consuming meat, eggs, and dairy products and avoid animal-derived food products like honey, gelatin, and whey.
Low-Carb Diet
A low-carb diet restricts the consumption of carbohydrates like bread, pasta, sugar, and rice. Instead, they emphasize eating foods rich in protein and fats, such as cheese, nuts, and seeds. The Low-Carb diet is available in many forms, but the daily carb intake is limited to 20 to 130 grams.
Ketogenic Diet
Wikipedia describes the ketogenic diet as a high-fat, adequate-protein diet with low carbohydrate intake. Many chains like Chipotle and Starbucks have included ketogenic foods and beverages on their menus.
Gluten-Free Diet
Gluten is a protein that can be found in all types of wheat, including semolina and rye. It acts as a glue to hold and maintain the shape of food. Gluten is a common ingredient in bread, pasta, and pizza. It can have adverse effects on a person’s health. A gluten-free diet does not allow for the consumption of gluten-based food products and emphasizes eating meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, brown rice or oats, quinoa, etc.
Can Restaurants Offer Alternative Menus
Chipotle is a well-known fast-casual restaurant chain that serves as an example of how to meet the needs of customers with special diets and innovate the menu with other diet options.
The new “Lifestyle Bowls” line was added to the menu to cater to different dietary requirements. There are Paleo, Keto, and Plant-Powered options. Each ‘Lifestyle Bowl is thoughtfully designed and follows nutritional guidelines. The brand plans to offer more plant-based options and is keen on unprocessed foods like black beans and cauliflower rice.
Here are some tips to make healthy choices in restaurant menus.
Vegan Diet
Although creating a vegan menu may seem difficult or costly, it is the easiest as great alternatives to meat, soy- and plant-based foods can be used. You can replace dairy products using ingredients such as soy milk, almond milk, vegan cheese, or butter. You can substitute meat products with soya or vegetables such as potatoes, eggplant, or mushrooms.
