There’s been a lot of focus in the foodservice industry on providing healthful and nutritious offerings. Unfortunately, what is healthy to one may not be healthy to others. What do guests expect when they say they want healthier options? Lower calorie count? Lower fat content? All-natural or organic?

Enter menu labeling. These initiatives have been gaining traction, and many states and municipalities are actively considering or have implemented menu laws to inform consumers about the nutritional content of their foods. In research Technomic has conducted with New York consumers, where menu labeling laws are in effect, more than 80 percent of respondents say that these labels are impacting what they order.

While the trend seems to be pointing toward foodservice establishments offering healthier items, there’s also a countertrend away from that. Many fast food establishments, while playing up salads and other healthier side dishes, are also introducing items like KFC’s “Double Down” sandwich, which uses two deep fried chicken breasts instead of a bun (some estimates put the calorie count at around 1,200 with about 50 grams of fat). Other examples, from bigger burgers to new breakfast sandwiches, show that many operators still see consumers wanting to indulge.

Another issue to consider is the economy. We have found that the recession has adversely affected consumers’ healthy eating behavior; results from recent surveys show that while over half of consumers are more concerned about their eating habits today compared to a year ago, 70 percent report that healthier foods are increasingly diffi cult to afford; 53 percent claim they often purchase less healthy foods because they cost less, and 44 percent say their budgets prevent them from eating healthier foods.

Still, it’s in the best interests of hotel food and beverage operations to continue developing and offering “healthy” items. What this means over the long term, however, may be different than what it has meant in the past. Some of the actions hoteliers should consider are:

• Focus less on specifi c fat or calorie content.
  
• Place more emphasis on natural and organic products (often this will provide a halo to other items on the menu, even if consumers do not order these particular items).
  
• Avoid products that have high amounts of preservatives or additives.
  
• Know and be able to communicate the origin of the food.
  
• Prepare for more federal menu regulation.
  
  In most surveys, consumers overrate the importance of “healthy” eating, but there’s no doubt this is the direction in which the industry is headed.
  
  David Henkes is a VP at Technomic, a Chicago-based consultancy focused on away-from-home eating and drinking. For more information on food and beverage trends in foodservice or on other issues, please contact David at 312-506-3927 or at dhenkes@technomic.com.