Are you looking for ways to slim down some of your restaurant’s recipes in advance of the new menu labeling law? This is a two-part series on how you can do just that. Last week we talked about reducing the calories and fat content in recipes by adjusting the cooking method and using ones that are healthier. This week let’s talk about some great ingredient substitutions you can use that will be healthier for your customers but just as tasty.
Find a Better Beef
One great way to reduce the fat and calorie content of burgers and other menu items that use ground beef is to substitute a leaner beef. Grass-fed beef, for example tends to be leaner and also has the advantage of being a selling point for many people. (You can take it a step further by finding local grass-fed beef. Hint: people are willing to pay more for both of those things!) Or, skip the beef altogether and offer ground turkey, pork, or chicken instead. Especially if it’s used in a recipe like chili or lasagna, most people won’t even know the difference in terms of taste, but will appreciate the lower calorie count.
Use Low-Fat Milk for Cream
You can make recipes such as cream-based soups or fettucine alfredo dishes more healthy by substituting low-fat milk for some or all of the cream. Let the flavors of the other ingredients in the dish step in to take the place of some of that richness, by using a great stock for the soup, for example, or a good cheese in the pasta dish.
Yogurt Is Your Friend
Yogurt makes a great – and surprisingly tasty – substitute for sour cream when you use it in dishes. Experiment with different yogurt-based dressings for salads instead of mayonnaise-based ones. And yogurt is a perfect way to add flavor and creaminess to dishes like mashed potatoes without the added fat of too much cream or butter.
Reduce the Amount of Meat
Unless your restaurant caters to the vegetarians out there, it probably won’t win many popularity points if you drop the meat altogether. But consider reducing the lead role that meat plays in some of your dishes and substitute more vegetables instead. Especially in things like soups or pastas, chances are no one will notice if there is a third less meat, but they will notice the lower number in the calorie column on the menu.
Use Herbs and Spices Instead of Butter and Sugar
How exactly you implement this substitution will depend of course on the recipe, but for baked goods you can often reduce the sugar by as much as a half and make up for it by adding more vanilla or other applicable spices, such as cinnamon. In savory dishes, such as pasta, while you might not want to forgo the butter altogether, you can certainly make a little go a long way by using plenty of fresh herbs.
Improving the health of your recipes might take a little experimentation and legwork, but as we discussed a few weeks back, it will be worth it when the new menu regulations roll out. More and more people are eating healthier, and offering them options can only help your restaurant’s business.
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Image used under Creative Commons from foodswings.
