How Plant-Based Proteins Are Becoming The Future

One of the most popular food trends today as noted by the National Restaurant Association is sustainability. Because people are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from, it’s a hot topic among restauranteurs. When you create a sustainable menu, it has many benefits for your restaurant that will positively impact your bottom line, help the environment, and help your business thrive all at once.

It’s not hard to get to a sustainable place with your restaurant, though it will take a little time to get fully on board with the process. You’ll most certainly want to enact the following suggestions to be a part of this upward sustainability trend which is certain not to wane.

Source local and organic ingredients whenever possible

Quality ingredients make for better food. You can proudly feature these items on your new sustainable menu. Your customers will be happy to pay for quality while supporting local growers, plus they get fresher food with a farm-to-table concept.

Shrink your menu

In the case of restaurants, it’s always quality over quantity when it comes to selection. Stick to options that you do well rather than having a menu that reads like a book. It creates less waste and is less expensive to maintain. Among those options, you should have something for everyone – red meat, poultry, seafood, and quality plant-based proteins.

Focus more on plant-based proteins

Speaking of plant-based proteins, this trend goes hand-in-hand with sustainability and is another one that experts say will continue to rise. Even those that are dedicated meat-eaters enjoy having meatless options to choose from. While each person’s reasoning for choosing a plant-based meal can vary (some do it for the environment and ethics while others do it for health concerns), the statistics show that this segment is growing at a rapid rate.

Even research from Mintel confirms that non-dairy milk sales in the US climbed 61% in the last 5 years. With the desire to reduce the carbon footprint on the environment, regain better health, and have a responsibility to take care of the planet, consumers are coming out in droves to try vegan offerings. If you want to ensure your restaurant’s success, find creative ways to present plant-based proteins alongside sustainably-sourced meat offerings (local, free-range, and organic of course) in other dishes on your menu.

Sustainability through plant-based proteins is the biggest way to make an impactful change to your restaurant, one that will reward you with more business and lower your expenses. Making the change is easier than you think. Let Sustainable Culinary Solutions help get you started on a plant-based path to your future sustainability.