Today’s kids’ menus continue to lack imagination, according to a report from America. Mintel Menu Insights, which tracks restaurant menu trends, believes the average menu doesn’t offer enough variety or healthy food for children, with parents, kids and chefs alike calling out for better options. Analyzing kids’ menus from 2005 to the present, Mintel Menu Insights sees the same clichéd foods repeated year after year. Chicken fingers steadily account for 10% of kids’... ...Read more »

It appears that today’s children are less likely to be won over by a toy nestled between their chicken nuggets and chips, or with the kids’ menu, according to new research from The NPD Group in America. Though kids’ meals with toys and kids’ menus continue to be the most popular options for children younger than 13, both offerings have experienced sharp volume declines. According to NPD’s Consumer Reports on Eating Share Trends, which tracks consumer usage of commercial... ...Read more »

Restaurants have to focus on innovation when creating their entrée and side dish menus, according to new research from the US. Darren Tristano, Executive Vice-President at foodservice consultant Technomic, said that consumers were re-evaluating the need for starters as they looked to save money when dining out. “Consumers are trying to cut their dining budgets, in many cases by eliminating starters,” he advised. “To justify spending on items from the left side of the menu, they... ...Read more »

Eighteen major catering companies, including many high street fast-food brands, will introduce calorie information on their menus for the first time. The list of trailblazers, announced overnight by UK Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo and the Food Standards Agency, will start displaying calorie information from the end of April. The list includes workplace caterers, sit down and quick-service restaurants, theme parks and leisure attractions, pub restaurants, cafes and sandwich chains. Companies... ...Read more »

The weak US economy hasn’t just reduced restaurant traffic; it has influenced American diners’ choices in entrees. Many consumers are bypassing beef for less expensive proteins like chicken, says Darren Tristano, Executive Vice-President at foodservice consultants Technomic. When ordering beef, and especially steak, explains Mr Tristano, they expect more quality, better cuts, aging and seasonings to justify paying a higher cost. Their expectations are reflected in emerging flavour and... ...Read more »

Following the example of New York City and the state of California, the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) is launching the first phase of its plan to introduce nutrition information in a range of catering outlets. The FSA is wanting to see more consistent nutrition information for consumers at the point they make a decision about what they eat out of home and announced that the first step will be the introduction of calorie labelling. A similar plan may be unveiled in Australia later this year,... ...Read more »

Australian restaurants could soon be forced to follow some of their American counterparts by posting calorie counts on menus. The Preventative Health Taskforce, set up to provide recommendations to the Federal Government on health policy going forward, is contemplating a number of labelling approaches. The Taskforce is to submit the ‘National Preventative Health Strategy’ to the Department of Health and Ageing in June this year, with many potential changes affecting all in the food industry. Chairman... ...Read more »