Egg Trends In Schools

Just like their foodservice counterparts in the industry at large, school cafeterias strive to offer on-trend, yet lean and healthy choices for an audience with increasingly diverse tastes. Eggs pair well with ethnic flavors and fit perfectly into bold, spicy creations. Vegetarians and flexitarians can enjoy eggs as a center-of-the-plate protein or snack alternative. Eggs are naturally gluten free. An affordable and versatile protein option, eggs are a popular component of a nutritious meal any time of day from a breakfast plan served in the classroom or cafeteria to the lunch menu and salad bar or as a satisfying snack.

Eggs in foodservice: On trend and on the menu

If you think there are more eggs on restaurant menus these days, you are right! Eggs have been on trend in foodservice for a few years now. The Sterling-Rice Group, a food industry trend watcher, even called out 2014 as the “Year of the Yolk.1” Savvy school nutrition professionals know it’s important to offer customers options similar to those in restaurants.

Parents and staff will be especially impressed with innovative items on your menus and in your cafeteria. Egg trends to watch include:

  • Egg protein on the breakfast plate. The high-quality protein found in eggs continues to grow in popularity at breakfast. Consumers see connections between eating protein, staying fuller longer and lowering excess calories.
  • Eggs Upgrade. Eggs are now paired with other on-trend ingredients – avocados, mushrooms and flavored sausages – as well as new prep techniques like mini-frittatas. AEB’s recipes will show you how to upgrade eggs at school too!
  • Eggs Keep On (Food) Trucking. Food trucks are focusing on breakfast with items like egg sandwiches on flatbreads and meat proteins paired with eggs in wraps and tacos. These concepts will also be popular with your teen customers.
  • Eggs Go Global. Innovative egg dishes using fresh vegetables, ethnic flavors and spices are more and more popular with both chefs and home cooks. AEB’s recipes offer a variety of flavor combinations to help you go global at school.
  • Eggs as Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Solutions: Eggs are a great meat alternate for vegetarian options at school breakfast and lunch. Since eggs are also gluten free, they offer an easy solution for two common ‘specials’ on your menus.

These trends underscore the versatility of eggs in school nutrition programs: So many menu options, so many on-trend possibilities, so many delicious meals – from one single product, the incredible, edible egg.

Source

  1. Sterling-Rice Group, 10 Cutting-Edge Dining Trends for 2014