Menu money-savers for the lean months.

Menu money-savers for the lean months

Despite some positives from the chancellor’s autumn statement, the financial crisis continues to bite. With the post-Christmas lull looming, now’s the time to make sure you have a solid plan to keep costs down in the kitchen, while keeping the punters coming through the doors.

by JOHN PORTER

The new year tends to deliver a series of whammies for pubs, as the goodwill-to-all spirit of Christmas gives way to the cold shoulder of January. For publicans, the adrenaline rush of the busy festive period fades into the grim reality that the lean months are here, while for pub customers there’s the inevitable arrival of the bills that seemed so far away when they were Christmas shopping.

Add to that the triumph of hope over experience as people swap their eating-out budgets for gym memberships, and the first couple of months of the year can be slim pickings for pubs. There’s not even the consolation of cold turkey for operators going cold turkey. Even if the kitchen has had the foresight to freeze any leftovers from Christmas dinner in accordance with best food hygiene practice, offering a turkey curry on a new year menu is likely to prove as popular as a meat raffle at a Veganuary celebration.

Traditional fare is trending

That’s not to say, though, that there aren’t opportunities to make the most of hearty winter dishes such as pies and stews, which have strong customer appeal. These can be made with better-value cuts of meat and fish, alongside hearty vegetarian choices. As well as delivering a much-need GP boost at a quiet trading time, such dishes are bang on-trend with consumers, it turns out.

Bidfood has identified “Rustic and Rural” as one of the key food trends driving diners’ eating out choices in 2024. Farm to fork concepts, provenance and menu stories are increasingly popular, along with handmade pasta and bakery products, garden veg and salads, and heritage produce. This trend ties in with the open fires, cosy tables and traditional décor that punters associate with pubs, making it an obvious opportunity for menus. It might even be time to break out the horse brasses and yard of ale glass to display above the bar.

Bidfood’s research found that:

• 76 per cent of UK consumers find dishes and ingredients that have provenance within the UK appealing

• 50 per cent say they want to support local economies

• 46 per cent of these people say they appreciate the heritage associated with rural and rustic dishes and ingredients.

Bidfood’s recipes are tapping in to the trend, making the most of trimmings and cheaper ingredients, including the Cheese Board Double Baked Souffé, and Sticky Toffee Pudding with Caramelised Banana Skin. For these and other recipes see www.bidfood.co.uk/inspiration/recipes

Joe Angliss, Senior marketing manager for Pubs at Bidfood, suggests: “After the indulgent spending of Christmas and New Year, consumers’ eyes will be drawn to any deal. Nearly every pub has a chalkboard, so use it to create a ‘good value’ specials board.

“A set three-course meal will help with getting extra courses sold while customers get value for money, and another benefit it brings is that it offers the opportunity to use up slow-moving stock that otherwise would have gone to waste.”

Small is beautiful

Small plate options are another way to engage customers while still offering value dishes that generate good margins, says Joe.

“Tapas, mezzes and other small-plate dishes are a fantastic way of encouraging spend on profitable smaller dishes. Take consumers’ taste buds on a journey through the latest cuisine food trends hitting the scene in 2024, and emphasise their authenticity. This will be important, as 56 per cent of consumers tell us they’ll pay more for a dish they perceive as authentic.”

He picks Caribbean, Mexican and Eastern European food as on-trend for the year ahead, offering “incredible small plate options such as Mexican tacos and tamales, Jamaican patties or Polish pero gies. They’re loaded with flavour and utilise low-cost ingredients.” For Veganuary options, “falafels can be included in a mezze, but can also be added to salads, wraps or even eaten as a starter.”

Change up your chicken burgers

Inapub 2023 Indies Choice survey found that burgers are the best-selling menu item for 20 per cent of pubs. With chicken often seen as a healthier alternative to red meat by customers, Joe points out that it is also a versatile option, “as you can adapt its flavour with the simple addition of a sauce. A spicy gochujang or tangy buffalo burger are guaranteed to give a juicy delicious bite each time.”

He adds "A strong range of quality side options and add-ons are great for driving value and encouraging spend. Another trend set to dominate 2024 is British Fusion, which is all about the adding a global twist to familiar British dishes. To keep it simple, use spices, herbs, marinades and pastes to add the wow factor to plain chips. How does a pile of masala-spiced chips next to a mango chutney burger sound?”

Venison also offers a way to add value to a burger menu. In plentiful supply at the start of the year, it’s leaner than farmed meats and can appeal to customers looking for something more unusual. A catering butcher will be happy to sell you venison

steaks, but is likely be even more delighted – and open to negotiation – if you also take mince for burgers, as well as venison pasties, and cuts for venison pies and casseroles.

Vary your veg

The Indies’ Choice Survey also showed that there is scope for many pubs to increase the number of vegetarian and vegan dishes they offer – around 25 per cent have just one or two vegetarian dishes on the menu, rising to 35 per cent who have just one or two vegan dishes. A choice of toppings and accompaniments for veggie burgers can be a way to use familiar produce in innovative styles – broccoli slaw, carrot and parsnip chips, or even crispy spiced sprouts can help customers think differently about seasonal veg.

Also focused on expanding vegetarian choice, Paulnary at QuornPro, says: “Taste continues to be the key consideration for consumers, and menus need to have a variety of protein options that taste, sound, and look amazing. Vegan and vegetarian menu choices are no exception.

"Protein plays a huge role in making up the components of a meal and it is an to meat and fish. We want to show chefs that there’s another option.” In that spirit, a Quorn recipe leaflet, including a Raw Slaw Smoked Cheeseburger, is available at issuu.com/quorn_professionals/docs/ quornpro_recipes_pdf

Vary your veg

Menu trends research shows that alongside sharing ideas, customisable menu options are increasingly popular, so a range of smaller snack-style options allowing customers to assemble their own meal could be one more way to bring in customers during the quiet months ahead.

Frozen food supplier Lamb Weston is highlighting the opportunity for finger food and sharing menus, with the launch of new cheese-based crispy-coated World Flavour products, which can be cooked in a fryer, air-fryer or oven.

Varieties include Cyprus Halloumi Cheese Sticks; Mexico Jalapeño Bites; Texas BBQ Cheese Bites; Cream Cheese Peppadew; and Camembert Bites. Ideas and recipes are available at www.lambweston.eu/uk

Enter the Dragon

The popularity of street food-style serves means quick-to-cook stir fries and noodle dishes are another opportunity for pubs during the quiet months, believes supplier Lucky Boat, which offers a noodle range which can be used as the basis of dishes such as soups, stir fries and salads.

Greta Strolyte, brand manager, says: “Consumer interest for experiential dining is increasing, but tight finances mean they are prioritising eating out to encompass special occasions.

“Chinese New Year falls on Saturday 10 February 2024, ushering in the Year of the Dragon. This presents an opportunity for pubs to draw in custom with menu additions of popular Chinese dishes – perfect for foodies seeking global flavours.”

One option is to follow the traditional Chinese approach as another way of offering sharing and small plates. Or, “operators can tap into interest for Asian flavours by introducing some new dishes that capture the enthusiasm around this cuisine – spiced noodle soups and stir fries featuring seasonal ingredients will be welcome new year menu additions,” says Strolyte.

Get a pizza the action

An authentic pizza menu can also represent good value, as well as adding an extra revenue stream with a simple takeaway option, suggests bakery specialist Pan’Artisan. Its recently launched Mini Pizza Pala Margherita is stone-baked and ready-topped with Italian tomato sauce and a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and can be customised with additional toppings to extend choice.

Charlotte Perkins, trade marketing manager at Pan’Artisan, says: “Continental, regional bakery items are a big draw for discerning consumers who value quality ingredients and traditional skills. Pub operators can easily serve up freshly prepared pizzas, either from pre-made pizza bases or by utilising our versatile premium dough balls.”