Health & Wellness
Functional foods are an extremely popular culinary trend, netting nearly $100 billion in annual revenue in 2021, and projected to reach nearly $140 billion by 2026. But what can those in the food industry do to leverage this trend and serve up food that is both tasty and also “functional.”
In part one, we’ll define functional foods and look at ways to incorporate functional ingredients into dishes and menus.
We can all relate to the feeling of biting into a lush, juicy watermelon on a hot summer day. It’s sweet and instantly refreshing. The reason watermelon is so good at quenching your thirst is because, as the name suggests, watermelon is composed of 92% water. The other 8% is sweet fructose and healthy nutrients. It’s no wonder that this larger-than-life fruit causes us to bring up memories of summer, picnics, parties, and vacation. Watermelon is basically a symbol of summer. But, watermelon isn’t the only sweet treat that ripens just as the days grow long and the kids get out of school. There are a number of lesser-known mouth-watering melon varieties to add to your summer menus, and so many ways to prepare melons beyond just slicing and serving.
It’s a flavor. It’s a drink. It’s a superfood. Matcha powder is a little bit of all three. It’s trendy, healthy, and tasty and has taken the culinary world by storm. This green tea powder features in teas, desserts, smoothies, lattes, and much more. Where does matcha come from and why is it so popular? And how can those in the restaurant business incorporate matcha into their menus.
Too tired to go out? Not interested in splurging on takeout? Why not reach for your Blue Apron subscription box that comes right to your doorstep and cook your own Korean-style tofu brown rice bowl with kimchi and marinated carrots, using the ingredients and recipe inside. Blue Apron, a service that delivers ready-to-cook dinners to subscribers, is a popular player in the rapidly expanding field of food subscription and delivery boxes — a field that includes everything from monthly gourmet baby food shipments, to a box loaded with a variety of pickles, and everything in between.
2022 was a milestone year for mankind. By November 2022 the United Nations estimated the global population had reached an astounding eight billion. With more people on Earth than ever before in history, ensuring equitable global access to resources, food, water, and housing has become more important than ever before.
New Year — New you. As the world prepares to ring in 2023, the food community predicts that the upcoming year will be loaded with more sustainable, healthier, and more wholesome foods. That’s good news for those who crafted New Year’s resolutions related to eating healthier, and reducing their carbon footprints.
If you are looking for expert advice on how to stay fit and healthy during the winter months, you are not alone! Exercising during the winter often presents a challenge, with inclement weather conditions ruling out outdoor sports and even driving to the gym can be ruled out depending on the weather and your mood. With these distractions, what you have is a recipe for disaster: giving up on fitness altogether.
If you manage or own a restaurant, it’s time to update your menu with some immune-boosting ingredients. Today more than ever, diners are interested in their physical health and will pay top dollar for foods and beverages that help fight infection and strengthen their resistance to disease. Once these items are integrated into your menu, diners may not even realize the enormous benefits they will be getting from dining out in your restaurant.