SUPPORT
UK’S HEALTH
TREND
48% of British mums want to reduce meat!
e’re all aware
of the phrase
“Mum knows
best” and
it seems
that the
UK’s mothers are behind one
of 2017’s hottest health trends,
‘flexitarianism’. It’s probably a
good idea for all restaurants to
up the amount of vegetarian
dishes that we have on offer
to take advantage of this new
“food fashion”. The days of just a
mixed vegetable is well over, we
need our chefs to be a little more
creative and thoughtful when
deciding on this section of the
menu!
WHAT IS
FLEXITARINISM?
‘Flexitarianism’ is the act of
reducing meat consumption
without committing to going fully
vegetarian - and almost half of
British mums(48%) plan to reduce
the amount of meat in their
family’s diets this year, or have
already done so. By adding more
vegetarian and vegetable dishes to our menu, we are
able to support this movement and our customers,
and potentially reduce our spend on meats!Following the trend set by stars such as Beyonce,
Anne Hathaway, Minnie Driver and Dita Von Teese,
the nation’s mums are ditching meat a few times a
week to improve health, be more environmentally
aware and save money. However, even health-
conscious mums who aren’t already considering
a reduction in meat consumption this year admit
they could be persuaded to join the ‘flexitarian’
movement.Mixed vegetable dishes are well and good, but food
fashion suggests that exciting new vegetarian specific
dishes will be more popular than something already
on the menu.THE BENEFITS
The benefits of less meat in our diets is becoming
a hot topic worldwide, with the issue identified as a
key trend for 2017 by gov.uk statistics and receiving
celebrity backing from figures such as Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Samuel L Jackson, Christian Bale
and Jamie Oliver.Gary Johnson, marketing director of Goodlife Foods,
says: “We know that it’s mum who makes the smart
choices for the family, when it comes to health.
“What our research has shown is that it’s mothers
who are choosing to turn more and more families
‘flexitarian’.”Utilising this information could mean an increase
in business, attracting new customers and helping
your existing clientele to keep healthy whilst eating
out. As restaurant owners, we need to show we care
about our customers, and adding ‘Flexitarian’ and
vegetarian dishes alongside the mixed veg classic, is
a good idea to keep up with current food trends. ARTOP FIVE
FLEXITARIAN
REGIONS
SOUTH WEST – 55%
LONDON – 53%
EAST ANGLIA – 53%
NORTH WEST – 51%
SCOTLAND – 51%FORM LOCAL
PARTNERSHIPS!
See the increased love of
vegetables dishes as an
opportunity. Nothing can be
better than local produce!
Your customers will like
you supporting other local
businesses by incorporating
local ingredients onto your
restaurant menu. Find out
which vegetables are been
grown locally, and form
partnerships with local
producers and create
dishes using these items.
Even if it’s one dish your
customers will love it! It
will be a talking point for
your front of house staff, let
your local newspaper know
that you are supporting
local suppliers, and create
a poster to let passersby
know.FLEXITARIANISM
SPRING 2017