Following the vegan and vegetarian craze from the past, flexitarian diets have gained popularity for many consumers looking for a moderate way to adopt a healthy lifestyle and reduce meat and dairy consumption. Today, 61 per cent of people are willing to eat less meat, so it seems that flexitarians are a category of diners that make up a significant part of the restaurant clientele.
Meat alternatives
Because flexitarians do not completely rule out meat, meeting their needs does not mean a complete menu overhaul. In fact, with a few simple tweaks, you can easily build a menu that suits most types of eaters. Take burgers as an example. 48 per cent of consumers would consider ordering a beef patty blended with a plant-based protein, so you can easily add a vegetarian or flexitarian version of a burger that will suit everyone’s needs. Adding a few dishes like this allows restaurateurs to attract larger groups with more diverse dietary requirements.
Local ingredients
This is the perfect time of year to focus on local harvests to create fresh, hearty, protein-rich dishes that do not focus on just meat. When produce is in season, chefs can focus on seasonality when rotating dishes to include vegetarian and flexitarian options. This helps ensure that these options are flavourful and tasty for those looking to limit their meat consumption. If consumers are motivated to eat a flexitarian diet to reduce their carbon footprint, this approach also helps operators connect with those guests, serving their environmental, as well as their health goals.
Menu trends
The demand for functional ingredients on restaurant menus continues to rise, and flexitarians are no exception. Adding seeds, nuts, and alternative sources of protein like chickpeas, tofu, and more, offers guests health benefits they may be looking for, as well as a meat-free dish. As well, global inspiration remains popular, and spices or seasoning to vegetarian or vegan dishes may attract interest and increase orders. While dairy alternatives are becoming more popular, flexitarians are not necessarily looking to eliminate dairy, so pay attention to what’s trending and then adapt popular preferences to work for your menu.
Flexitarian menus offer guests the option to mix it up with interesting dishes that accommodate their desire to limit meat consumption. As this dietary class continues to grow, add some items to the menu that will appeal to these guests and attract larger groups to your restaurant.
