Focus on Healthier Comfort Food Options As 2011 Approaches

How can you help your patrons with balance during the holidays and into the new year?

In Technomic's recently released "11 for '11" top trends into the new year, two foodservice trends that at first glance could be contrary to each other appear in the same list: "back to our roots," a discussion about comfort foods and the role they play in American cuisine, and "healthful versus indulgent." With new menu labeling laws going into effect and consumers indicating they will continue to be selectively healthful, how can operators menu items that patrons demand (i.e. comfort foods) but that also have healthy aspects at the same time?

According to Technomic, family sized portions, retro Italian and homestyle Southern comfort foods will all be popular in 2011. Balance that with the Technomic assertion that there will be more healthy items on menus with more descriptions about calories per serving and lower sodium, and what is an operator to do? Is there a way to have healthy selections that also appeal to patrons looking for the latest in comfort foods?

Luckily, there are an ever increasing number of products on the foodservice market for operators looking for assistance with healthful, yet tasty, menu options that appeal to patrons looking for comfort foods. With some of those items as a base, and a few other ingredients from your kitchen, it can be easy to transform a simple dish into a signature item.

For example, take a frozen prepared, lower sodium, lower fat macaroni and cheese, add chopped asparagus or spinach, and bake in a portion controlled dish for a made-to-order favorite. Or bake a frozen prepared turkey marsala into a calzone and serve with marinara sauce for a healthier, traditional Italian dish.

ConAgra Foodservice offers Healthy Choice frozen prepared entrees, including macaroni and cheese, turkey marsala, lasagna, sweet and sour chicken, beef stew, and several others, for a complete line-up of 25 items. Healthy Choice frozen entrees have strict nutritional guidelines per serving:

3 grams or less of fat
Less than 30% of calories from fat
1 gram or less of saturated fat
600 mg or less of sodium
90 mg or less of cholesterol

Advertise healthier comfort food options on your menu, and use Healthy Choice as a starting place for healthier speed scratch recipes. Entice consumers while spicing up menu offerings, cutting down on labor and minimizing ingredient waste.

To find out more about Healthy Choice frozen entrees and other products provided by ConAgra Foodservice, visit conagrafoodservice.com, call 1-800-357-6543, or check with your SYSCO Marketing Associate.

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