When it comes to health and nutrition, self-serve buffets and salad bars can be a dangerous place for ravenous diners with endless appetites. Although they offer wide selections and the flexibility to create custom menu options with ease, they can quickly ruin healthy options with just a few extra scoops.
From changing up dishes and utensils to using fresher ingredients, there are many quick changes that can be made in order to promote healthy dining and mindfulness in a self-serve type setting.
To support smaller portion sizes, try adding smaller utensils to the buffet line. Decreasing the size of the ladles used to serve dressings, sauces, soups and other offerings can help customers add smaller portions without noticing a drastic change. This revision also allows diners to be in charge of their portion because they have a precise, uniform measurement. Using smaller spoons can also help increase the control over portion servings and bring awareness to appropriate serving sizes. If sticker-shock is a concern for restaurant nutritional values, reducing utensil size may also help improve caloric values as well. For example, swapping the ranch dressing’s one fluid ounce ladle with a 0.75 fluid ounce ladle can result in a 40 calorie difference. Although the swap is small, the benefits are numerous.
Another simple method to promote healthy eating at a buffet is to offer different plate sizes. Rather than providing standard large plates at the start of the buffet, set out small, medium and large sizes. Portions are greatly influenced by the size of the vessel being filled, so allowing guests to select the size of their plate can help improve serving size control. This method also allows for control without compromising the options available to customers.
Posting portion guides or a suggested serving size can also help customers become more aware of their servings. Using a suggested serving size provides an amount which customers can judge their servings from without limiting or restricting the freedom of a customer’s preferred serving. Pictorial displays or brochures near the buffet give guests the option of reviewing the material as a guide for their own portions or blazing through the buffet focused on appeasing their appetites. Maintaining the free-will of the customers while providing healthy suggestions can help improve overall satisfaction and health of customers.
Menu labeling is also an excellent method to provide information for health-conscious customers in a self-serve restaurant environment. Listing calories on the sneeze guard, serving utensil or on a poster near the buffet will provide guests the ability to monitor the calories in their meal. Not only will labeling compliance be met, but many diners will appreciate the availability of nutrition information and the increased transparency.
Lastly, set a company goal to offer at least one or two nutritious option in each section of the buffet. In the pizza section, try to find a lighter option that doesn’t feature large amounts of meat, cheese and toppings found on extravagant pizza options. In dessert sections provide dried fruits, fresh fruit, yogurt or other sweets that feature minimal amounts of added sugar and fat but plenty of other beneficial nutrients. Offer grilled meats rather than fried items in protein sections and feature as many fresh items in the salad bar as possible. Canned products are often packed in a solution of salt, sugar or other ingredients that may not contribute to optimal health. By using fresh produce in a buffet, greater nutritional values can be attributed to the offerings.
These simple changes can really add up when an entire plate of food is composed in a self-serve establishment. To show the difference here is a salad built from a self-serve buffet before and after simple, easy, and healthy swaps have been made. The recipes both contain the same ingredients, but swapping plate sizes, ladle sizes and providing fresh options really adds up when it comes to healthier dining choices.
Self-serve establishments can easily promote health and wellness without compromising the general principles of self-serve practices. Quick and inexpensive changes can help provide customers with flexibility, customization and bring awareness to a more health-conscious environment.
