SugarCreek: Brandworthy Food Solutions

It's no secret in the restaurant industry that lunch and dinner sales are down. In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal, recent studies show that people in the U.S. are actively choosing to eat more home-cooked meals than they did in the past, both for health and financial reasons. In order to compensate for this significant loss, restaurants must do everything they can to attract consumer attention at breakfast time, from offering innovative foods to raising the marketing budget.

Unable to pull out of a record sales slump, McDonald’s is facing an uncertain future.

Dan Coudreaut, the chain’s director of culinary innovation, thinks he understands the problem: consumers equate McDonald’s with junk food. "A lot of our guests don't believe our food is real," Coudreaut admitted last year.

According to a recent NPR piece, one-third of Americans actively try to avoid eating gluten. Whether suffering from celiac disease or just following a trend, millions of consumers have begun seeking out gluten-free options— on grocery shelves and at the restaurant table. 

In response to this rising demand, the food industry is evolving right alongside American eating habits. The result? Unprecedented food innovation.

Despite making great strides to cater to the American diner’s evolving preference for healthier foods, the food service industry still has room for improvement across a number of fronts-- from supply chain resiliency to sourcing transparency. 

Competition is fierce in the food service industry. To gain an edge over your rivals, you need to focus on fulfilling popular eating trends and finding ways to be faster, fresher, and more flavorful than the competition. One great option is cooking sous vide– an easy way to meet the needs of evolving American eating habits that demand fresher, faster food.

If you’re new to sous vide, it’s natural to wonder exactly what sous vide is and how it works. 

Bacon has long been a breakfast staple in most American households and pancake restaurants, but in recent years the savory foodstuff has infiltrated every meal and food item imaginable.

Bacon has appeared on just about every menu in the country, and it's no holds barred when it comes to menu items that can (and do) contain bacon. Even the most casual observer cannot help but notice the bacon-infused appetizers, desserts, and liquors. America's love of bacon continues to grow.

Food service professionals will tell you that, next to french fries, bacon is the most popular food among customers of all ages-- and eating habits.

 Phoney Baloney, the world's first (and probablyonly) producer of Coconut Bacon, has such confidence in consumer addiction to bacon that they now market their gluten-free, vegan Coconut Bacon at nationwide Fresh Markets and are enjoying brisk sales of their "fake" bacon-- with a hint of tropical coconut.

Do discussions about American eating habits make you shake your head in disgust? Are you one of the millions of Americans who consciously make an effort to eat less red meat because you have been repeatedly told by health and nutrition experts that red meat causes heart disease?

Good news: things may not be as bad as you think!

For years, millions of Americans have been diligently keeping track of how many hamburgers and steaks they eat each month to ensure that they minimize their risk of heart disease. But careful, scientifically backed, research tells a different story.

According to a painstakingly researched piece by Nina Teicholz of the Atlantic, modern Americans don’t, when compared to our earlier ancestors, over indulge in red meat. In fact, we eat only about half as much. However, as both food and health experts know well, instances of heart disease have skyrocketed over the past 50 years.

But, strangely, our “meat eating went down just before coronary disease took off," says Teicholz.

American eating habits reflect concerns of the times, and these days, with highly visible media coverage of topics like the environment, chemicals, technology and health, Americans have become fascinated with the idea of “clean eating.”

Though still a relatively new trend, some restaurants have already begun to cater to requests for clean food, and others may follow suit if it continues and appears to be lucrative.

Americans Define “Healthy Eating”

Today’s consumers are an increasingly health-conscious bunch, demanding organic and natural foods that have been locally sourced from nearby farms and orchards, but they have not let up on their demand for bacon.

Bacon has long been a breakfast fixture in households and pancake restaurants, but in recent years it has appeared at all times of day and everywhere from grocery stores to fast food establishments to exclusive restaurants.

Long considered the perfect complement to a traditional breakfast of coffee, eggs and toast, bacon’s domain now extends far beyond the breakfast table. A tasty topping for a cheeseburger or an essential ingredient for spinach salad at lunch, this crispy, salty, sizzling treat can now be found in everything from popcorn to cupcakes to ice cream.

While many consider bacon’s extreme popularity to be a faddish trend in American eating habits, this magnificent meat product’s allure is more than temporary— and that’s a scientific fact.

The Science of Smell