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YEAR OF THE SNACK

Directly above view of various food. Fresh meze platter is on table. Meal is served.

MIX & MATCH

Sharable, small bites allow diners to maximize their culinary experiences.

  • TAPAS: The Spanish got it right when they created these bite-size, small dishes like olives, garlicky shrimp, and crispy, fried potatoes meant to be eaten and enjoyed with wine and friends.
  • BOARDS: Today’s menus run the gamut from traditional cheese and antipasti boards to wacky make-your-own salad cup set ups and cheffed up dips & chips.
  • SKEWERS: Grilled meats drizzled with herbaceous sauces, charred asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, halloumi cheese cubes, and vibrant berries draped in hot honey all make exciting sharables.
  • PLANT-BASED: Ensure your restaurant doesn’t get the veto vote—make sure you have plant-based alternatives for the growing number of vegetarians and vegans.
  • PRICE-POINTS: With budgets top of mind, offering a wide range of smaller dishes at lower prices can ultimately increase overall bills. Diners want the variety and experience that come with ordering different flavors.
  • ADVENTURE: Customers want to be taken on a journey through their meal. Add appeal and excitement to small bites in the form of finger lime caviar, frizzled shallots, shiny pomegranate seeds, and edible flower garnishes.

QUICK BITES

Snacking is at an all-time high, blurring the need for day part menus and allowing for anytime eating and sharing.

Diners are increasingly hyper-focused on high-protein and plant-based foods. Alongside all of the new-fangled, lab-based, cell-cultured options out there is the humble bean. A staple food for millenia, beans are being re-examined as a healthy, versatile ingredient worthy of menu inclusion.

  • Retro and heirloom recipes—like Southern succotash, French cassoulet, and Cajun red beans and rice—fit the bill for those in search of authenticity.
  • Most world cuisines incorporate some type of bean in their classic dishes. Think feijoada in Brazil, black beans and rice with plantains in Puerto Rico, and garbanzo beans in Israel. Modern interpretations of these recipes are packed with produce and herbs.
  • The creamy texture of mung beans is proving an ideal substitute for those that are eliminating soy from their diets.