A HANKERING FOR HEALTHIER

When reimagining traditional dishes to make them healthier and still craveable, consider the three “F”s of successful concept development: flavorful, familiar and fulfilling. Flavor is foremost, hands down. Without sufficient flavor, a healthy dish—no matter how alluring visually— will fall flat with customers. And, when a dish “made better for you” is additionally “fascinating” (interesting) or “fun” (engaging or interactive), that’s even more cause for celebration all around.

NPD Group’s National Eating Trends® Health & Wellness Service shows about a quarter of adults are trying to maintain or elevate their health through their food choices. “This signals a dramatic shift from decades ago when the typical U.S. consumer was more reactionary when it came to health needs and typically changed behaviors after an illness threatened the individual’s well-being,” says food/beverage-industry analyst Darren Seifer.

Great Grains

Indeed, more Americans are gravitating toward a daily or flexible eating lifestyle that focuses on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes as the foundation of dishes. That’s good news for chefs who, as a matter of conscience, strive to make dishes healthier.

For example, a customer focusing on trends recently asked Coleen Donnelly, a San Francisco-based R&D chef specializing in “better for you” menu concepts for K-12 and college/university foodservice, to create a grab ‘n’ go item featuring pork and whole grains. Her mind immediately went to spinning the classic Cuban sandwich.

Donnelly wanted to boost flavor and texture, so she developed a cabbage and pickle relish incorporating cooked, whole and “intact” grains — grains that have not been broken down into bran, germ and endosperm — like Khorasan bulgur, buckwheat groats and red rice as well as brown flax seed. The relish is layered on bread with marinated, slowroasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese and a Dijon-mayo spread.

“When the sandwich comes out of the panini grill, the result is a creamy, salty, crunchy/chewy twist on a popular favorite” that’s transformed into a healthier menu offering, she says.

PLANT-FORWARD FOOD

Although vegetarians and vegans are certainly contributing to the growth in plant-based foods, they represent only singledigit percentages of the U.S. population and aren’t the primary contributors. A larger segment of the overall adult population, 18 percent, are simply trying to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets according to NPD’s Health Aspirations and Behavioral Tracker. The popularity of plant-based foods is being fueled by desire among U.S. adults (60 percent) for more nutrients in their diets as well as by concerns for animal welfare and how meat products are brought to market.

Throughout history and continuing today in many cultures, meat has served as a flavoring agent rather than a center-of-the-plate item, akin to a condiment or garnish. Adopting this concept not only nods to a bona-fide trend influencing American foodways, but can increase perceived value of a dish. What’s more, building plate coverage with less-costly seasonal produce and fish can contribute to a healthier P&L.

Take gumbo, the official dish of Louisiana. While not “unhealthy,” per se, for diners eschewing traditional meat or shellfish, gumbo can easily be made vegetarian by using tofu, as does Joe Muench, co-owner and executive chef of Maxie’s in Milwaukee. “It’s a bit lighter because it’s missing the animal fat but the flavors are still there,” he says.

The subtle flavor of pressed soybean-milk curd not only can vary in mouthfeel from soft to extra firm, tofu absorbs flavors well (Muench smokes the tofu in his gumbo), making it an excellent meat substitute. Additionally, tofu is low in calories and high in plant protein and iron.

“I resent when I go out to dinner and they try to sell me the healthy food for the same price as the good food,” stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan once said. Times have changed. These days, “better for you” equals “value added” for which an increasing number of Americans are willing to pay — and return for more.

Above: Tofu is an ideal substitute for meat in classic favorites because soy is a quality plant-based protein that offers 7 to 15 grams protein per serving. This spicy gumbo features extra-firm tofu, soy sausage and toasted soy nuts.

Left: Hearty and satisfying baked beans, such as this barbecue side dish from Renee Zonka, RD, CEC, CHE, need not rely on animal fat to taste delicious. Plus, beans are a naturally good source of meatless protein and dietary fiber.