Gone are the days when the word ‘healthy’ was synonymous with bland, undressed salads. In today’s gastronomic climate, health-conscious customers embrace balance and moderation to enjoy food while still working towards their health goals.
A survey found that 60% of Brits actively try to eat healthily, while diners are increasingly conscious of the impact of their food choices on other aspects of their health, such as mental wellbeing or gut health.
It’s also now mandatory for restaurant businesses with over 250 employees to add calorie labelling to their menus as part of the government’s commitment to helping people make more informed dining decisions.
Appealing to health-conscious diners doesn’t have to entail a total overhaul of your menu — here are a few tips for marketing your restaurant to diners looking to make healthier choices.
Clearly label your lighter dishes
Whether or not your establishment is big enough that adding calories to your menus is mandatory, it’s still a good idea to flag your lighter dishes to help customers make the right choice.
You could highlight dishes under 600kcal by labelling the calorie total directly on the menu, or by adding a small symbol next to the dish's name to indicate that it’s lower in calories.
But a ‘healthier’ option doesn’t necessarily mean lower in calories. Some diners will be more focused on the wider nutritional benefits of their food beyond a simple number.
Protein, for example, is becoming an increasingly important element of health-conscious diners’ eating habits. New data from Ocado Retail found that searches for ‘high protein’ on the site have more than doubled, up 105% since last year, while searches for ‘protein rich’ increased by 85%.
Call out the protein sources in your dishes, whether meat or plant-based, so diners know exactly how they’re contributing to their health goals. A common complaint amongst vegan diners is a lack of plant-based protein options when they dine out, so don’t forget to include things like chickpeas, beans, and lentils in these dishes.
The food and hospitality industry is also addressing public backlash against ultra-processed foods, with supermarket Marks & Spencer being applauded for their new range of products that use six ingredients or fewer.
For some diners, a broader aspect of health and wellness is knowing exactly where the ingredients in their meals have come from. While your menu would become unreasonably long if you listed the exact source of every ingredient in every dish, you could include a short paragraph on the back or at the bottom of your menu explaining how you incorporate seasonal and local produce into your cuisine, perhaps specifically highlighting producers and farmers you work with.
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Don’t neglect your drinks menu
Of course, healthy options shouldn’t be confined to your food menu. Your drinks offering is also a great chance to support diners in making more health-conscious decisions.
An obvious place to start is a well-stocked, clearly labelled alcohol-free selection. Many Brits are committing to reducing their alcohol consumption, with Gen Z leading the charge: as many as 28% of the UK’s young adults do not drink.
Rather than simply offering a classic selection of soft drinks and mocktails, try and source no- and low-alcohol beers, wines, and spirits so diners can make a healthier choice while still feeling like they’re treating themselves.
Within your soft drinks selection, it’s also worth including any functional drinks with added benefits, such as kombuchas for gut health or CBD-infused drinks for a dose of calm. Bonus points if you can include options from local small businesses or suppliers.
Offer healthier swaps
An easy way to help your restaurant appeal to health-conscious consumers is offering healthy swaps within your menu. This can be as straightforward as giving diners the option to have a colourful side salad instead of a portion of chips with their burger, making a dish meat-free, or offering a lower-carb alternative to regular pasta.
You might also offer smaller and larger portion sizes for your mains, so diners can still enjoy the same delicious food in a smaller quantity if they’re trying to cut down.
Some of these swaps might cost more than your regular ingredients, so make sure you include an additional charge on the menu to protect your profit margins.
However you decide to tailor your menu to attract health-conscious consumers, do it in a way that feels authentic to your restaurant’s ethos and appeals to your core base of loyal diners. Don’t be afraid to be experimental and have fun with it — after all, healthy doesn’t mean boring!
To find out how you can connect with more diners looking for great restaurants like yours, sign up to TheFork today.
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