The latest issue of United’s Fresh Insights for Foodservice report explores how innovative chefs are adding fresh fruits and vegetables to create flavourful summer menus.
According to the fresh produce association, the summer issue reports how the classic tastes of watermelon adds the perfect warm-weather refreshment, and that menus featuring butter lettuce add an upscale touch.
The Fresh Insights report also looks at how fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs can transform modern cocktails, while savoury tarts create a rich dish with a healthy halo. There’s also news about restaurant operators using produce-driven menu items to usher in spring and summer menus last quarter, including roasted vegetables, lemons, and seasonal sangrias. Additionally, the report cites menu introductions at chains, including some fresh-focused marketing campaigns.
The summer report of Fresh Insights includes a look at the top fresh produce ingredients at America’s ballparks, with apples, peppers and cucumbers on the menus at concession stands. Ballparks increasingly feature fresh produce stands, chopped salad and wrap stands, and even vegetarian and vegan options.
“Using fresh produce in summer menus is a great strategy for foodservice operators, from fine dining to crunchy salads at the local ballpark,” said United’s vice-president of trade relations Jeff Oberman, liaison to United’s Retail-Foodservice Board. “The summer issue of the Fresh Insights report underscores the many ways that foodservice companies are discovering the value of adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to their menus.”
