Watsonville, CA – The National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot in 2014 Culinary Forecast” [1] reports “Health/Nutrition” continue to garner a position in the top 20 trends list. Bringing healthful dishes to diners, chefs can either ‘take it out’ or ‘add it in’, according to foodservice industry expert, Nancy Kruse. [2] In the past, chefs removed salt, fat, and sugar; now chefs improve dishes by adding fruits, vegetables, and grains. Tomorrow, Kruse predicts the introduction of functional foods.
Grown by over 400 family farmers, California strawberries offer chefs and consumers alike a very appealing fruit. They are nutrient dense, yet low in sugar, and packed with a variety of nutrients including Vitamin C, folate, fiber and potassium. According to David Grotto, author of “The Best Things You Can Eat,” 3 a steady diet that includes strawberries may help reduce the risk of diseases; the antioxidants, fiber and phytochemicals in the strawberry have been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels.
Adding California strawberries to the menu is an added value foodservice operators need to keep a step ahead of competitors. Versatile and nutritious California strawberries are easy to add to most dishes to create healthful options for diners. From a simple bowl of strawberries, to stealth health menu ideas such as a Strawberry Quinoa Parfait, it’s easy to create exciting dishes for customers.
Available year-round, it’s always time to add California strawberries to the menu, especially in March to celebrate National Nutrition Month. Just a serving of eight medium-sized strawberries has more Vitamin C than an orange, and contains only 45 calories and 7 grams of sugar.4
Visit www.californiastrawberries.com for more recipe ideas or to learn more healthy facts about California strawberries.
About the California Strawberry Commission:
The California Strawberry Commission, www.calstrawberry.com, is a state government agency representing all of California’s strawberry shippers, processors and farmers. With an emphasis on food safety education, Commission activities focus on production and nutrition research, trade relations, public policy, marketing and communications. California produces more than 85 percent of all strawberries grown in the United States.
Source: California Strawberry Commission