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Technomic: Employers encouraging healthy menu choices

Salads, produce ingredients trending up, pizza and Mexican trending down.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

July 30, 2015

1 Min Read
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Employers are taking steps to emphasize healthy lunch options on-premise with menus featuring more salads—65 percent more than last year—even as heartier and more indulgent choices like Mexican and pizza have seen declines, according to MenuMonitor data from the Technomic research and consulting firm.

In fact, healthy produce in general is gaining menu share, with carrots, spinach, tomato and mushrooms among the fastest growing ingredients. Another sign of the times: employer menus have tripled the number of health claims advertised to staffers.

"Aligning with menu trends from limited- and full-service restaurants, top health claims at noncommercial foodservice segments are vegetarian, vegan and low-fat," commented Technomic Vice President Bernadette Noone in announcing the results. "Menu items like 'gluten-free' show substantial growth at commercial restaurants. However, gluten-free items are not growing as fast on noncommercial menus."

Technomic's MenuMonitor service analyzes more than 540 onsite foodservice menus—including college and university, lodging, airports, recreation, health care and business and industry—for trend information.

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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