Keep it fresh: Many restaurants appreciate being in a unique position to help increase healthy food options for kids. They are holding the fries and passing the carrot sticks by creating menus that highlight lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grain, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Children can be drawn into eating healthier options especially when they are presented in a colorful and creative manner. Fresh fruits and vegetables may be enticing as a fun finger food on a platter or as a side dish or garnish. Switching to whole wheat pasta and bread is an easy, and affordable way to increase the nutrition on a kids menu.

New twists on tried-and-true favorites: Kids do not always love change; therefore slight substitutions that are not easily noticed are a great way to introduce new items into a child’s diet. Your current kids menu may not need a complete overhaul but a few minor changes can go a long way. Substituting turkey for beef to create a turkey slider or a turkey hot dog can drastically increase the nutritional value of your children’s offerings. Other favorites include: grilled chicken strips in lieu of fried chicken fingers, chicken soft tacos, wheat spaghetti with marinara, chicken n’ dumplings and breakfast muffin sandwiches..

Keep kids busy: Incredible food goes a long way to draw in parents looking for healthy options for their children. Going the extra mile to provide simple touches that entertain kids and keep them content help adults feel relaxed and let them enjoy your establishment. Crayons and paper are perennial favorites while a kid’s waiting area with clean toys and books assists in keeping all customers happy. Other details like: smaller, child-size tumblers, special plates and silverware make kids feel special and work together to create a memorable dining experience.

Incorporating a few healthy changes into kid’s menus is an easy way for restaurants to start improving the way American’s eat. Many of these changes are easy to incorporate into current restaurant menus yet dramatically improve the overall tone of an establishment.

What better way to enjoy a night of extravagance than a lavish meal that satisfies hunger without being too filling. A miniature rack of veal lets one enjoy tender meat off the bone well seasoned with fresh herbs. Crisp green beans help cleanse the pallet between bites and are well complimented by rich, velvety potatoes.

Ingredients:

Frozen Mini Frenched Veal Rack       (651503)          1 lb.

Olive Oil                                             (970638)          2 Tbl.

Fresh Thyme                                       (83454)            2 Tbl.

Fresh Basil                                          (84247)            2 Tbl.

Fresh Rosemary                                  (85246)            2 Tbl.

Chopped Garlic                                   (815390)          2 tsp.

Salt and Pepper                                                                 1 tsp.

Fresh Snipped Green Beans                (85022)            3 oz.

90 ct. Idaho Potato                             (85009)            1 ea.

Knorr Demi Glaze                               (991637)          1 oz.

Preparation Instructions:

Combine olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Cut into two boned chops and place in a shallow dish then cover with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for a least 30 minutes. Grill over medium/high heat for about 4 minutes each side or to desired doneness.

Fresh, healthy and small: Appetizers and desserts are not always seen as the healthiest choices on a menu but as more are striving to make health conscious choices, adding a few wholesome options will keep diners happy. Adding more fresh ingredients like fruits, vegetables and meats demonstrates to customers you care about the quality of the food you serve them and well enhances the overall compensation of dishes. Adding fresh fruit and vegetable options lighten up the appetizer and dessert menus and encourage calorie-conscious customers to indulge.

Ethnic foods: Since dining out is an adventure, many are looking to try new dishes they do not experience at home. Many ethnic dishes have become popular as appetizers and desserts where diners may try a smaller portion of the exotic. Mexican-inspired soups and Asian-inspired appetizers are becoming popular ways to start a meal. Although many are still drawn to cake and ice cream, ethnic desserts are increasing in popularity.

Introducing new flavors and trendy dishes to your overall classic appetizer and dessert menus is a great way to stay on trend for 2012 as well as giving customers a chance to step outside their comfort zones. Let AGAR work with your establishment to provide fresh, delicious ingredients to your existing menu to create exceptional dishes to restaurant a boost for the New Year!

Take Out: Creating a special take out menu for Valentine’s Day and working hard to promote it just might get you a few extra dollars and customers at the end of the day. A mid-week Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to cater to busy families and couples; especially ones with children.

Valentine’s Week: Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year. It’s a great way to build up business all through the week. If you create a special menu and promote it all though the week, you may just see an increase in business not just on Valentine’s Day. Busy couples and those that have children may not get the chance to enjoy the day on Tuesday and may end up planning to go out on a different night during the week.

Think About Price: Families and couples are still looking for value. Think about a fixed-price menu for the week. Create several versions of a three or four course meal and promote that through all your marketing channels. Value plus flexibility equals more customers.

It’s Not Just For White Table Cloth: Couples from all financial backgrounds and tastes still want to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Some may want to enjoy that bistro steak while others may want to dig into a rack of ribs. If you own or run a small independent restaurant or even a pizza sub shop, don’t think you can’t get some of this business. You can.

Want more? Check out my quick chat with Karen on this video.

The same thing can be seen for a type of Maine shrimp and cod which were over-fished last year. The industry has decided to decrease the amount of time fishing this year to allow the natural populations time to repopulate.

So, what we at AGAR have decided to do what we need to in an effort to find alternatives for you the customer. This wholesale food distributor as always is committed to providing the best for our customers and as a company, we always keep an eye on the market. There’s even more in this seafood update video with our seafood expert James LeDuc.

A delicious meal along with great service leaves customers feeling they are getting the most for their money will keep them coming back. Tapping into today’s technology can be one way to keep your establishment on the cutting edge while providing diners with the added benefit of online ease. Many restaurants are experiencing success by making ordering, reservations and delivery tracking available online. The ability to customize a food order online makes dining quick and casual for customers. Additional technological benefits can include an app for your restaurant or a whimsical concept like ordering via tabletop iPads in your establishment. Staying on trend with technology will help your restaurant provide customer service that allows consumers to be more involved in the dining experience.

If you are a little more ‘old school’ in your approach to customer service there are many ways you may strive to deliver exceptional experiences. Employees are a large ingredient in the overall customer service experience at any restaurant. Hiring a team of genuinely enthusiastic and outgoing employees assists your customers in enjoying the complete dining experience at your restaurant. Exceptional customer service extends beyond a smile; staff members who know your business mission, menu and regulars keep diners satisfied and engaged. Be certain to hire quality employees and also take steps to retain them by listening to your team and creating incentives to encourage your staff.

Providing diners with an exceptional meal is definitely pleasing but taking extra steps to make dining out a little easier with added customer service will increase loyalty and expand your customer base.

By offering our soups, it saves operators labor and it makes it easier for them to keep their menus fresh and up to date. We suggest trying out a kind of soup rotation to provide your costumers with a variety of options. And when we say a huge variety, we’re not kidding. We have everything from Indian Curry soup to Southwestern style soups to, of course, New England Clam Chowder. (We recently added a Manhattan Style Chowder too appease our southern neighbors). Soups are a great food cost item as well without having to sacrifice variety and quality.  

We work with local companies like Kettle Cuisine which provides vegan and gluten-free soup options too. Another important benefit for purchasing our premade soups is that it limits the chance of cross-contamination.

Chili is also another great winter food and like our soups, allows for a wide range of types. From Angus beef chili, to turkey chili, to vegetarian chili, we have it all. The cold weather means it’s time for restaurants to start providing the hot food. From variety and money saving, soup is a great way to do this.

Karen and I had a little fun with this video; Check it out.

Winter provides a great time to reevaluate the menu and recharge your marketing. We urge you to look at what has been selling and maybe what hasn’t been selling as well. Look at the menu and think about what can and should be changed. If you need help, there’s always a visit to our Test Kitchen.

A great way to garner interest in a restaurant when business is slow is to offer theme nights. Reach out to the community. There may be organizations or groups that need meeting spaces and this is the time to reach out. And depending on what type of restaurant you operate, theme nights can be a great way to get people through the door. Try a small plate night or a wine tasting or get creative on your own. Theme nights are a great way to generate buzz about your business when the weather is cold.

This is also a great time to consider your online presence. From social media to email lists, look to the internet to get your name out there and create more value for new and existing customers. We’ve seen businesses send out email blasts before an impending snow storm and offer great deals to get people through the door. You wouldn’t expect to see a full restaurant when there’s a snow storm but we have seen it work.  This is a great way to get your name out there and to test your marketing lists. We have also seen many success stories using various social media platforms. The bottom line? Make sure people know you are still there.

One more important winter tip is to think about your take-out options. Reach out to local businesses who may order take-out because they’re too busy to leave their desks (or too warm…) for lunch. Maybe your business could offer sides to go for busy moms and families as this is a great way to supplement family dinners.

Don’t sit back during the winter. Get out there and use your downtime to promote.

I have seen some great promotions using Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and many of the other coupon sites. Get creative with what you offer and how you do it and you may just see business jump in 2012.

This year restaurateurs and others in the culinary industry will remain conservative with preparations focusing on simple items such as portion-controlled meats such as our Bullpen brand. Many establishments are also changing their service formats from fast and casual to friendly and more full-service. With diners turning to more familiar foods and tastes, the addition of a homey, welcoming atmosphere within restaurants seems to be a trend. Except for take out which is becoming more popular.

Diners in 2012 will definitely be in search of tasty dishes made with quality ingredients at a reasonable price. This wholesale food distributor has over 70 years of experience providing restaurants in New England with fresh, local foods and choice cuts of meat. We look forward to working with restaurants in the year ahead to assist them in prospering while also staying on trend with incredible dishes and forward-thinking promotions.