Canada
Start healthy, finish strong
If your guests are value conscious, starters and desserts are dishes they are likely to cut out.
76% of consumers said starters must look and sound amazing and would appeal more if they included healthy options.*
For maximum appeal your starter and dessert menu should include indulgent AND healthy options.
Here are some tips on boosting flavour, adding excitement and making them healthier.
*2009 American Express MarketBrief – March
Starters
- Soups are a great low calorie way to utilize virtually any ingredient. Garnish or create a signature soup through the use of herbs, nuts, fresh vegetables and low fat yogourt.
- Salads are great starters, they help balance a meal, help towards 5-a-day and appeal to guests looking for a healthy option.
- When creating risottos use less butter but flavour the rice by simmering in a full flavoured low sodium stock (stocks contain salt so cooking instructions must be followed to avoid over salting).
- Excite guests by mixing tropical fruits with seafood, such as mango with shallots and shrimp.
Desserts
- Make a fruit dessert with some stewed fruit or fat free yogourt. Add currants to the dessert for sweetness.
- Use sweet fruit or raisins to flavour cakes and biscuits.
- Sorbets are light, quick and can give a real flavour hit. Try creating a fruit sorbet with an extra unusual ingredient such as tea. Try orange sorbet with chamomile, or mango sorbet with Earl Grey.
- Offer puréed stewed fruit with custard or yogourt.
