Food & Beverage

How to focus on lower-calorie without sacrificing taste, quality

Driven by cost and calories, many restaurants are looking for healthier and more nutritious options to entice repeat business. Christopher Hansen, assistant vice president and culinary executive chef at the OSI Group, looks at how to create lower-calorie meals at a value to both consumers and restaurants.

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October 15, 2021 by Christopher Hansen

As ordering food for delivery or curbside pick-up exploded during the COVID pandemic, using apps to track calories and food intake was on the rise as well. Many customers talk about the "COVID 15" pounds they gained while working from home or quarantining. We got used to shortages of popular ingredients like yeast as bread baking became the latest fad. Now, as the country opens back up and many states welcome indoor diners back to their tables, will consumer demand for low-calorie menu items wax or wane?

For consumers interested in lower-calorie menu items, they can rely on the disclosure of major chains' nutritional information. Tracking calories and food intake on smartphones is commonplace.

Restaurants that include low-calorie menu items as either a stand-alone offering or a means to round out a full menu should keep these tips in mind:

Portion control as opposed to low-calorie is a key to welcoming repeat customers. While some prefer the super-sized servings that allow for a second meal, those looking for healthy options may prefer a right-sized portion.
Substituting healthier toppings for pizza and other dishes is taking center stage — instead of classic sauces, consider replacing some sauces with lighter options like extra virgin olive oil, pesto, or tapenade. Offer leaner proteins instead of 100 percent beef meatballs, such as a blend of chicken, turkey and pork for a fresh flavor and lighter fare. Cauliflower pizza crust is a popular item that is here to stay as more consumers embrace flexitarian diets.
Blended burgers will stay on the menu, using unique formulations like mushrooms and other vegetable-based extenders. Load them up with healthy toppings like veggies, greens and lower-fat cheeses as well as lighter condiments like sriracha, onion relish and new flavor varieties of mustard sauces.
Incorporate ingredients with ancient grains and a high-protein content instead of carbs, which appeases those looking for lower calorie offerings.
Use fresh ingredients like mushrooms and cauliflower — not as fillers, but to enhance the raw experience. Base your selections on taste to support other, bolder flavors.
Resist the use of sweeteners and look for other natural options like agave to control glycemic index for healthy diabetic meals. Or take a page from the Whole 30 menu, and use sugars from natural ingredients. Feature less-processed items and stay away from those with caramel colors, artificial colors or sweeteners.
Pick your fruit or vegetables at the perfect ripeness to naturally add sweetness and flavor and reduce bitterness and acidity.
In the deli, reimagine traditional foods with pickling or brining vegetables to mimic pastrami or corned beef. When simulating meat products, the key is to make items both memorable and repeatable.
A commitment to sustainability can also support a low-calorie menu by using the whole animal, reducing food waste. Restaurants can use the whole vegetable as well, blending cleaned celery leaves, for example, to add taste and flavor to salads and soups. Use hydration from peppers to add depth and richness to sauces and broths.

Driven by cost and calories, many restaurants will continue to look for healthier and more nutritious options to entice repeat business. Customers and chefs alike expect the food to taste good, and this will remain the cornerstone of new menu development in the search for what is next in low-calorie dining.

Food & Beverage

About Christopher Hansen

In his role as Assistant Vice President, Culinary Executive Chef, Mr. Hansen acts as the liaison between OSI’s Group Research & Development teams and customers, adding value through his expertise in concept-to-carton development that drives profitable relationships. Before joining the OSI Group in 2007, Mr. Hansen served for 13 years as Senior Chef, Foodservice and Corporate Executive Chef, Culinary at Givaudan.

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