5 Clever Tips to Creating a Healthy Menu

Your customers are growing smarter and more health-conscious, so it would be wise to give your menu a healthy spin. Designing a healthy menu isn’t as daunting as you think, and you do not necessarily have to change your entire menu. Here are 5 tips and tricks that will allow you to create a healthy menu with a few easy tweaks.

1. Draw Attention with Symbols

Chances are you already have healthy options on your menu but it’s not immediately noticeable. By simply adding symbols and a legend, you are making it easier for your customers to recognise the healthy dishes on your menu. Check out the samples below:

• Leaf: a simple leaf symbol could indicate that the dish itself is vegetarian or it can be made into a vegetarian variation
• V: the letter V generally means vegan, indicating that the dish does not use any animal products
• Grill: a barbecue grill symbol lets your customers know that this dish is grilled rather than sautéed, deep-fried or cooked in butter, making it a healthier option
• Sugar-free: a sugar-free symbol shows that certain desserts or drinks are made without sugar or added sweeteners

2. Offer Half- and Full-sized Portions

Controlling portions makes a huge difference, so allow your customers to order smaller or half-sized entrées — especially carb-loaded and high-calorie dishes. This enables your customers to order their favourite foodstuffs without splurging on calories and cash.

3. Swap in Healthier Ingredients

You can have the best of both worlds by opting for healthy ingredients in existing dishes. You do not necessarily have to design a completely new menu. For instance, consider using better-quality oils such as olive oil or coconut oil when you deep fry. Use freshly squeezed juices instead of processed in your drinks. Give your customer the option of ordering brown rice. Substitute sour cream with Greek yoghurt in your baked goods to go easy on the calories.

4. Avoid the Extra Fat

Your kitchen staff can be more conscious in their preparations when it comes to meats. Trim the fat when they can. Or start ordering leaner cuts of meat to allow your customers to enjoy the same dish but with less excess fat. Consider opting for light meats, such as chicken, as opposed to lamb or beef, too.

5. Do a Calorie Check

While adding the calorie count to the menu might take up too much space, it is still worthwhile to take advantage of online nutrition analysis software. By typing in your recipe, you’ll see the estimated calorie count of the dish. Using these nutritional results, you can tweak your recipes and present dishes with a high nutritional value.

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