At a glance
Working with food vendors contributes to the success of your food service guidelines initiative. Work with vendors to procure healthier foods and beverages, ensure foods are culturally preferable, modify menus and recipes, and train staff in healthier food preparation.
Introduction
Ultimately, you want to improve the accessibility of healthier foods in food service venues. You can do this by working with a vendor to support your food service guidelines initiative to:
- Procure healthier foods and beverages.
- Ensure foods are culturally preferable.
- Modify menus and recipes.
- Train staff in healthier food preparation.
To be accessible, healthier foods must be available, appealing, and affordable. For example, if healthier foods are available but are poorly prepared or overpriced, they are not accessible. Working with your vendor can help ensure accessibility.
Procure healthier foods and beverages
If the vendor is not bound by a contract, or the contract is not up for renewal where you can specify terms, encourage the vendor to work incrementally to procure healthier foods. Take these steps to increase healthier offerings:
- Encourage the vendor to increase number of healthier offerings or ingredients they are already purchasing.
- Brainstorm creative ways to add healthier foods to existing recipes or use them in new menu offerings.
- Work with suppliers to identify products that comply with food service guidelines. Items the vendor was unaware of may be available and could be added to the menu rotation.
If food service guidelines are not in contracts, vendors may procure healthier food items voluntarily. In that case, do not get discouraged if the vendor cannot fully meet the guidelines on the first try. For example, if vendors cannot find soup that meets the sodium criteria, they can start with a moderately lower-sodium soup. The vendor can then look for alternative sources of soup that will fully or more closely meet the guidelines.
If distribution companies cannot source specific healthier items, look to other companies to supplement your healthier food supply. These may include smaller or specialized companies. Work with your vendor to overcome any purchasing obstacles related to contractual obligations. Also, prioritize using local food sources as that will benefit the local economy. Economic support of communities is one goal of the Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities.
Ensure healthier foods are culturally preferable
Consider the diversity of cultures among customers in your food service settings. Offering healthier foods and flavorings that are traditional and culturally preferable for your population can attract and benefit customers. Include a diversity of viewpoints and backgrounds on your food service guidelines team. These representatives can advise you on healthy food preferences that you can encourage your vendor to offer.
Modify menus and recipes
Vendors may need to change their menu to comply with food service guidelines. For example, the guidelines may require serving seafood twice per week or plant-based entrees three times per week. To meet these requirements, the vendor may need to add additional meals or exchange different meals in the menu rotation.
Recipes may also need modification. For example, modifications could include:
- Using herbs and spices instead of salt to season entrees and decrease sodium to the recommended levels.
- Using whole grain-rich products as the default choices in prepared dishes. This can help increase offerings of whole grains.
The vendor can make updated nutrition and allergen information available to customers for any menu and recipe modifications. Vendors will want to consider what kitchen tools or equipment they may need to accommodate menu and recipe modifications.
Train staff
Vendor staff may need training to alter cooking methods to make menu items healthier while maintaining flavor. For example, poultry, fish, and lean meats may be broiled, grilled, or roasted instead of deep fried. Staff may need to learn what combinations of seasonings or flavors work well together.
Staff may need training in knife skills (for prepping healthier foods), forecasting (just-in-time ordering), and other food waste reduction strategies. Work with your vendor to ensure staff are adequately trained to follow food service guidelines.
Toolkit links
