Why You Should Bulk Out Your Menu with Protein-Rich Foods
The power of protein
One of the main driving forces behind the protein-rich food trend is a greater understanding of the benefits of protein, as well as of the different ways to consume it. An essential nutrient for muscle growth and repair, athletes, and people that are very physically active need to significantly increase the amount of protein in their diets. But with more and more people ‘hitting the gym’, taking up sports and exercise, and generally having a greater interest in their physique (you won’t need to look far on social media to find someone talking about ‘gains’ or ‘bulking out’), high-protein diets now have a far wider appeal than just to professionals.
However even people that may not be quite as concerned with how they look are making a move towards high-protein diets, as several studies have shown that protein tends to be more ‘filling’ and satiating to hunger than carbohydrates.
In the past, the protein component of meals was often little more than meat, fish or eggs, but as the global high-protein trend shows no signs of slowing down, restaurants hoping to capitalise on it are looking for more creative, healthy, and even environmentally-conscious ways of packing protein onto their customer’s plates.
Not just for veggies: the ‘new proteins’ to grow your menu
Research carried out for Mintel’s ‘Attitudes Towards Healthy Eating’ report, published in November 2015, found that a third (30%) of people believe that a high protein content is an important factor when looking for healthy foods, and that almost half (40%) of people agree that vegetarian protein sources are healthier than meat.
This explains the soaring sales of plant-based proteins such as quinoa - according to the US-based Mintel Menu Insights report, menu mentions of quinoa as an ingredient grew 74% between Q2 2012 and Q2 2015 - and why Pret have seen such runaway sales from their vegetarian offerings like Egg and Spinach Protein Pots that they have decided to trial an entirely vegetarian store.
Tofu, black beans, lentils, peanuts and almonds are other popular vegetarian and vegan protein sources, all of which are easy to cook with and add to your menu, but many people are surprised to find that spinach, broccoli, oats, and cheeses like halloumi and feta are also rich in protein too. So adding interesting vegetarian high-protein salads to your restaurant or cafés food selection is easy, but why stop there?
With eggs, tofu and beans, you can amp up the protein at breakfast and brunch, and even make interesting high-protein dinners with tofu and halloumi easily taking the place of meat in any dish. From halloumi burgers to tofu ‘steaks’, it takes little more than some imagination to bulk out the meat-free protein offering on your menu – just take a look at the menu of Gyms Kitchen, the UK’s first protein based restaurant chain, for platefuls of meat-free protein inspiration.
Beyond beef: leaner proteins for meat-eaters
Of course, while the consumption of vegan and vegetarian proteins is increasing, it doesn’t necessarily mean that meat proteins are falling out of favour. Meat has long been the favoured source of protein because unlike non-meat and plant-based proteins, it contains all of the amino acids that are required for the body to build muscle (those following a vegetarian or vegan diet need to eat a broad range of protein-based foods to get all of the amino acids needed).
However, what is changing is the quality of meat proteins that are being consumed. Currently popular high-protein diets such as the Dukan Diet, Paleo Diet, and South Beach Diet all place an emphasis on consuming lean meats and fish such as chicken, pork tenderloin and salmon over fatty steaks and burgers, but other lean meats, particularly venison, have come to the fore as health-conscious meat lovers look for better quality ways to get their protein.
Of course, it’s much easier to increase the protein on the meat component of your menu, but to please the health-conscious crowd, consider making the switch to leaner cuts. A steak burger could be a healthier fast-food alternative to one made from mince, and you can even tap into the venison trend with venison burgers, steaks and kebabs to provide a more nutritious red meat option.
Have you considered putting a focus on protein in your restaurant menu, and have you noticed an increase in customer demand for protein-rich dishes? We’d love to hear more – leave us a comment below to tell us about how your restaurant is making the most of the protein trend."
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