Whether for reasons of health, ethics, environmentalism or the simple desire to try something new, the vegetarian trend has taken a turn for mainstream diets. In a recent article by Vegetarian Means Business, nearly one fourth of American adults are seeking to cut back on their meat intake, with 50% of Americans eating at least one meatless meal per week.
Restaurants can begin offering these options by integrating vegetarian options into their menus through the “Meatless Monday” campaign – offering a new, featured vegetarian appetizer at the start of every week. NRN shows support of the campaign through John Fraser, executive chef of New York City’s Dovetail, who looked to the Meatless Monday campaign to counteract the decrease in traffic of the summer months. Shortly, Fraser states, they “were packed on Monday, and it was a completely different clientele – younger and savvy guests.” With the guests satisfied with new vegetarian options, Dovetail, continues to feature a Monday Vegetable Menu.
Not only do vegetarian options provide a new customer market and a hedge for operators against rising protein costs, but also, according to NRA’s What’s Hot 2015 Culinary Forecast, 62% of chefs identified vegetarian and meatless dishes as a top trend; up from 57% in 2014.
Generate curiosity and stay up to date with the rising trend by incorporating vegetarian friendly meals into your menu. Here are some flavor-filled meatless menu inspirations.
- Crunchy Lettuce Wraps (shown)
- Veggie Ranch Pizza
- Herbed Vegetable and Tortellini Soup
- Find a wide variety of menu solutions by visiting Vegetarian Times Recipe Collection!
