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Tray Trends: As Restaurants Lean Healthier, Might Cafeterias Follow?
In February, Erik Peterson, the public awareness director for the School Nutrition Association, told me that school meals have always been a reflection of the broader American diet. Foodservice directors often visit restaurants and mall food courts on the weekends and observe what kids these days like to eat, he said. Is the line for Asian stir fry longer than the line for popcorn chicken? If so, they change their menus accordingly.
Since my conversation with Peterson, I’ve heard the same thing from dozens of cafeteria directors. In Massachusetts, a meal program supervisor frequents area restaurants to see what kids buy. She also keeps her eyes open in the grocery store, making a mental inventory of the foods parents pile in their carts. In Ohio, a director makes sure she’s always aware of the latest food advertisements. When Wendy’s came out with a spicy chicken sandwich, she started offering one too. Another director started offering a breakfast sandwich to compete with the Egg McMuffin.
So it’s good news that the latest restaurant trend is rising popularity of healthier foods. A new report by a Chicago market research firm shows that children under 13 are increasingly buying healthier options at fast food restaurants. Sales have dropped this year for burgers, fries, colas, chicken nuggets and hot dogs. While pizza is still popular, its sales have hit a plateau. Healthier items, meanwhile, have been getting more popular. Soup sales are up 29 percent, grilled chicken sandwiches are up 26 percent and yogurt is up 21 percent. Carrots and fruit have also been on the rise.
Might cafeterias follow the trend? I’m sure they will. Over the years, we’ve allowed restaurants to dictate what we serve for lunch in U.S. public schools, and that’s a problem in itself. For now, at least cafeteria directors can steal something healthy from the food industry.
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