How healthy is healthy? With consumers becoming increasingly health conscious at every turn, the foodservice industry is being forced to trim the fat and cut the calories. While the industry has made significant progress in recent years, the question remains: are restaurants truly walking the talk?
Like consumers, the industry has migrated through an obsession with low-fat products, zero-trans-fat items, low carbs and a fascination with low sodium. Now, as we move to more balanced eating, operators are more willing to experiment with healthier options, but with that willingness comes a dose of confusion as to what exactly needs to be done. For example, should operators commit to big menu changes based on customer preferences, especially since perceptions of healthy eating at restaurants are constantly evolving?
Adding to the challenges are government efforts to mandate better choices and advocates taking the industry to task for not being healthy enough — especially with regard to sodium — all the while pushing further changes. But imagine the challenges faced by operators forced to cut calories, adapt to shifting trends and post nutritional content of their offerings on menus, while being expected to create meals that tantalize customer palates and fuel sales. And, is it fair that operators are expected to be custodians of public health when consumers don’t always walk the talk themselves?
Still, as much as consumers need to take health matters into their own hands, they’re eating out with greater frequency and for more meal occasions than ever before, which can make a healthy-eating plan more difficult. There are some consumers, in fact, who consume food away from home for all three meal occasions. Certainly, it’s up to individuals to determine what they choose to eat, just as they need to be vigilant and mindful of what they ingest if they have allergies. But the industry also has a responsibility to provide a greater range of options and ensure certain dishes are as healthy as they claim. Furthermore, foodservice operators need to become increasingly cautious about using excessive sodium, especially given a huge portion of the QSR customer-base are children and teenagers.
Undoubtedly, operators have a lot on their plates these days. Not only do they have to contend with rising food costs, labour shortages and a world in flux, but they’re also being asked to be the social conscience of their customers. And, as change continues to occur, the reality is operators need to get with the program and become proactive, rather than having change forced on them, ultimately allowing customers to make the right choices.
With that in mind, last year F&H launched a column called “Analyze This,” written by Sandra Matheson and the Food Systems Inc. team. The column was our attempt to illustrate how certain dishes could be made healthier by substituting simple ingredients. This year, we’ve tweaked that column, changing its name to “We’ve Analyzed This,” and taken a case-study approach, looking at individual operators who have made significant changes to ensure their menus are healthier while highlighting their actions and the resulting changes. This month’s revamped column (see p. 14) showcases the efforts of industry leader Tim Hortons to reduce the sodium content of its menu. We hope you enjoy the column and that it inspires you to consider making similar, necessary changes to your menu.
