Breakfast flavors star all-day on campus menus

Today’s students are wild about breakfast—provided they don’t have to stumble out of bed to get it, of course. That’s one reason traditional breakfast flavors are growing across dayparts on college campuses, and operators who think of breakfast as a state of mind rather than a daypart will find takers for traditional breakfast fare in the afternoon, evening and even the wee hours of the morning.

For instance, at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, the Crossroads Restaurant satisfies student cravings for omelets and breakfast sandwiches around the clock. Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, has its own all-day breakfast restaurant called First Stop. And at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, Denny’s All-Nighter serves its famous Grand Slam breakfast until 1 a.m.

But in addition to wanting breakfast flavors around the clock, today’s students are also more serious about healthy eating than previous generations—and they’re dead-set against ho-hum food. Thus, operators who serve better-for-you, innovative breakfast foods at all times of day will be ahead of the curve.

Beans are one ingredient that hits all of these notes, and they’re a great plant-based protein option for vegans and vegetarians as well as “flexitarians” who seek meatless meals on occasion—a group of people that’s important in the C&U segment. In fact, 64 percent of college and university menus call out vegetarian items, and 43 percent call out vegan items, a considerably higher percentage of those healthy descriptors than in any other noncommercial segment, according to the Chicago-based research firm Datassential.

Beans also complement a wide range of flavors and ingredients. Anything from boldly seasoned Tex-Mex breakfast burritos and Latin-American breakfast bowls to traditional, comforting American favorites such as eggs and breakfast meats play well with beans, making them a versatile, on-trend option.

Bush’s Best® Bean Pot Maple Baked Beans is a new product that’s a natural fit for the all-day breakfast trend. This vegetarian product is simmered with real maple syrup, brown sugar and a blend of spices, and students will enjoy the inviting maple flavor that is also popular in pancake syrup and maple-flavored breakfast meats. These flavorful beans can star as side dishes on breakfast plates, a recipe starter for bean-based breakfast entrees or pureed as a dip for French toast sticks or sausage links, among many other applications.

Foodservice directors already sold on the low labor requirements and cost efficiency of beans may find additional economic incentive to make them a feature protein. The tight supply and rising price of eggs are making the already affordable price of canned beans seem even more attractive in comparison.

For more creative ideas about incorporating beans on C&U breakfast menus, visit www.bushbeansfoodservice.com.