Sugar Foods ecoSticks Style and Substance - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Cooper Shreds Have Now Arrived - banner - 02.24

Seafood is Better - skyscraper - both - 05.21

Tyson - Wright Brand Bacon - skyscraper - both - 04.21

Rich's Plant-Based - Good Things Grow - banner - both - 11.20

Skyscraper Ad - MM -  Beat - Operator

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Beautiful Inside and Out - banner - both - 04.18

Simplot Sidewinders - Bendy is Trendy - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Indiana Packers - Vertical Integration - skyscraper - both - 07.21

Butterball - Your Trusted Partner - skyscraper - both - 07.19

Cargill - Truvia Serve Americas Best Selling Stevia Sweetener - banner - both - 03.19

Simplot Sidewinders - Bendy is Trendy - banner - both - 01.20

Banner Ad - 4 - PICs - Operator - supersized

Nestle Minors Slow Simmered Stock - Free Sample - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Simplot GoodGrains - banner - both - 01.20

Banner Ad - 1 - MM - Recipes - Operator - supersized

Indiana Packers - All-in-One Pork Supplier - skyscraper - both - 07.21

McCain - Tactical Takeout Webinar - skyscraper - both - 05.20

Award Winning Flavor is Here - 2025 Food & Beverage Awards - banner - OE - 06.03 - 12.31.25

Reel in Greater Appeal - both - banner - 10.22

Rich's Plant-Based - Good Things Grow - skyscraper - both - 11.20

Hormel - Fontanini - Handcrafted Meats - Unparalleled Flavor - banner - both - 02.20

Ambrosia Chocolate - banner - both - 03.23

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Dress Your Table for Success - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Wild Alaska Salmon Burger - skyscraper - both - 04.25

Indiana Packers - Vertical Integration - banner - both - 07.21

Sunny Fresh Egg Bake Bites - banner - both - 03.23

Dan's Prize Corned Beef Pastrami - Simple, Tender - banner - both - 04.20

Tyson Cortona Pepperoni - skyscraper OE 1.23

Jennie-O No Basic Burger Here - banner - both - 03.20

Fabri-Kal - Packaging solutions for environmental and off-premise needs - banner - both - 11.19

Nestle - Hot Cocoa Bulk and Single-Serve Packets - skyscraper - both - 09.21

Nestle Stouffers Can Your Classics Do This Recipe Ideas - banner - both - 01.20

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Beautiful Inside and Out - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Simplot Delivery Solved - Conquest Fries - banner - both - 08.20

Hormel - Bacon 1 - Great Bacon in Half the Time - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Ready to Eat Frozen Vegetables - banner - both - 03.23

Sugar Foods - Turn Up the Beets Crispy Beets - banner - both - 05.18

Essity - Clean Dry Hands - banner - OE - 03.17

Sugar Foods - Add Savory Beet Notes Crispy Beets banner - both - 05.18

Seafood is Better - banner - both - 05.21

Nestle Stouffers White Cheddar Mac and Cheese - skyscraper - both - 08.18

Jennie-O Take Burgers Over the Top with Turkey - skyscraper - both - 03.20

General Mills - Pillsbury Takeout and Delivery Tips - skyscraper - both - 04.20

This Soup Can Do That Tomato Chicken Tinga and Ratatouille - both - banner - 10.03.25

Savor the Experience - OE - banner - 09.29 - 12.28.25

Performance Dairy Convenience and Consistency - banner - both - 04.24

Dixie Ultra Surface Systems - banner - both - 02.23

Essity - Impress Your Guests - banner - OE - 03.17

Jennie-O Premium Turkey Breast Turkey that Turns Up the Quality - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Dixie Ultra Surface Systems - skyscraper - both - 02.23

Indiana Packers - All-in-One Pork Supplier - banner - both - 07.21

Wild Alaska Salmon Burgers - banner - both - 04.25

Wild Alaska Keta Salmon - skyscraper - both - 08.25

La Ranchera Birria Base - both - 09.24

Wild Alaska Burgers - banner - both - 04.25

Honest Earth - Better Potatoes for a Better World - skyscraper - both - 05.23

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Style and Substance - banner - both - 04.18

Ambrosia Chocolate - skyscraper - both - 03.23

Basic American Crispy Craveable Operator banner ad - 12.17

Tyson - Bonici - Crave Chorizo - skyscraper - both - 04.21

Wild Alaska Keta Salmon - banner - both - 08.25

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt banner with chef - both - 04.23

Nestle Minors Slow-Simmered Stock - Free Sample - banner - both - 02.20

Hormel - Fire-Braised Chicken - Ease Your Operator's Kitchen - banner - both - 02.20

Simplot Conquest Crispy Potato Strips - banner - both - 01.20

Simplot - Delivery Solved - Conquest Fries - skyscraper - both - 08.20

Hormel - Fire-Braised Chicken - Don't Labor Over Great Chicken - banner - both - 02.20

Cargill - Truvia Serve America's Best-Selling Stevia Sweetener - skyscraper - both - 03.19

Basic American Shred Competition operator banner ad - 12.17

Nestle Vitality - Build a Refreshing Beverage Program - both - skyscraper - 04.20

Fabri-Kal - Packaging solutions for environmental and off-premise needs - skyscraper - both - 11.19

Rich's Plant Based Cooking Creme - banner - both - 02.18

This Soup Can Do That Cream of Chicken Garlic Parm Chicken - both - banner - 10.03.25

Rich's Plant Based and Gluten Free Crusts - skyscraper - both - 07.18

This Soup Can Do That Mushroom Dijon Chicken - both - skyscraper - 10.03.25

McCain - Takeout and Delivery Menu Ideas - banner - both - 05.20

Nestle Stouffer's Comfort Foods Beyond Compare - video - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Sugar Foods Barista Blend - skyscraper - both - 04.17

Sugar Foods - Turn Up the Beets Crispy Beets - skyscraper - both - 05.18

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Mac Pizza - banner - both - 04.19

A Family of Fine Cheeses - skyscraper - both - 08.22

Hormel - Fire-Braised Chicken - Now Serving Flame-Seared Perfection - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Simplot Harvest Fresh Avocados - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Knorr's Cook with More Possibilities - skyscraper - both - 09.24

General Mills - Gluten Free Options - banner - both - 03.18

Cargill - Truvia Sweet Customer Satisfaction Naturally - skyscraper - both - 03.19

Sunny Fresh Egg Bake Bites - skyscraper - both - 03.23

Simplot Pineapple Perfected - RoastWorks - banner - both - 08.20

Simplot Harvest Fresh Avocado - banner - both - 01.20

Banner Ad - 3 - OE - Operator - supersized

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt skyscraper with chef - both - 04.23

Golden Tiger Vegetable Spring Roll - Elevate Dishes with Vibrant Flavor - OE - banner

Shrimp that Brings the Big Picture - skyscraper - both - 11.22

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Mac Pizza - skyscraper - both - 04.19

Rich's Plant Based and Gluten Free Crusts - banner - both - 07.18

Deliver Flavor and Value with Galbani Mozzarella - skyscraper - both - 07.22

Jennie-O Premium Turkey Breast Products - Turkey that Turns Up the Quality - banner - both - 02.20

Hormel - Fontanini - Handcrafted Family Recipes - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt banner - both - 04.23

Forget rules and restrictive diets. Today&rsquo;s diners are hungry for real ingredients, transparency and flexibility. This means rethinking what &ldquo;better for you&rdquo; really means on the menu. Being aware of these three shifts will help operators deliver the kind of health-minded options people are looking for now.
Cravings Beat Health on Menus
Healthy dishes need to be satisfying and not feel like a sacrifice. Even self-described health nuts are driven by cravings when they order away from home. The numbers back it up: according to a Technomic survey, 35% of all away-from-home consumers said &ldquo;cravings&rdquo; top their decision-making. Among health-conscious consumers, cravings still lead at 30%, and just 10% of all consumers said &ldquo;need it healthy&rdquo; is their top priority when ordering away from home. The takeaway for operators? Offer health-forward dishes that also hit the craving button. Think bold flavors, comforting formats or indulgent textures. <a href="https://www.butterballfoodservice.com/resources/simple-swap-beef-edition/" target="_blank">Swapping proteins</a> in an indulgent dish, such as beef or <a href="https://www.butterballfoodservice.com/resources/simple-swap-pork-edition/" target="_blank">pork</a> for turkey, is a small change that shifts its health appeal. Try <a href="https://www.butterballfoodservice.com/recipes/turkey-bolognese-with-chef-vo/" target="_blank">Turkey Bolognese</a> or this <a href="https://www.butterballfoodservice.com/recipes/hot-honey-meatball-wrap/" target="_blank">Hot Honey Meatball Wrap</a> with <a href="https://www.butterballfoodservice.com/products/bb-turkey-meatballs-0-5-oz/" target="_blank">turkey meatballs</a>.
Real, Not Restrictive
Consumers are moving away from rigid &ldquo;healthy&rdquo; labels like &ldquo;low-calorie&rdquo; and &ldquo;fat-free&rdquo; in favor of clean, real ingredients. Clean label, all-natural and minimally processed ingredients are now top consumer drivers. Meanwhile, &ldquo;ultra-processed&rdquo; has become a red flag. To adapt to this shift, operators should lean into recognizable ingredients and straightforward preparation.
Descriptions Over Buzzwords
Here&rsquo;s the catch: most consumers don&rsquo;t fully trust health claims in foodservice, especially vague ones. In fact, 75% of consumers don&rsquo;t trust or only somewhat trust health labels at restaurants. Top offenders include terms like &ldquo;all-natural,&rdquo; additive-free labels and emotional wellness claims. The silver lining is that 49% are more likely to visit a restaurant that&rsquo;s transparent about ingredients. Plus, consumers will pay more for items if they feel craveable, functional or premium. Building trust and signaling authenticity to diners is as easy as highlighting ingredients or preparation methods, especially if any items are made in-house. Menu descriptions should include details like &ldquo;fresh&rdquo; and &ldquo;locally sourced&rdquo;&ndash;&ndash;but only if they&rsquo;re true. This <a href="https://www.butterballfoodservice.com/recipes/kimchi-turkey-burger/" target="_blank">Kimchi Turkey Burger</a> is a great example of combining ingredients with a health halo, like lean, white turkey, and indulgent-yet-fresh items like house-made sweet chili mayo.
Flexibility Is a Must
<a href="https://www.butterballfoodservice.com/resources/making-customizable-menu-options-more-approachable/" target="_blank">Customization</a> is now table stakes. Whether it&rsquo;s building a bowl or choosing portion sizes, consumers want to have control over the healthiness of their meal. Include protein-packed turkey as an option for dishes and make smaller portions available. Offer menu items like this <a href="https://www.butterballfoodservice.com/recipes/turkey-quinoa-breakfast-bowl/" target="_blank">Turkey Quinoa Breakfast Bowl</a> to meet consumers&rsquo; desire for customization first thing in the morning.
Today&rsquo;s health-minded consumers aren&rsquo;t interested in rules. They want food that tastes great, feels good and aligns with their personal definition of health. Operators who focus on craveability, real ingredients and customization stand to win over the health-conscious diner&ndash;&ndash;without sacrificing flavor or appeal. How will you appeal to these diners?
Content courtesy of <a href="https://www.butterballfoodservice.com/resources/the-new-rules-of-healthy-in-foodservice-real-craveable-and-customizable/" target="_blank">Butterball Foodservice</a>
Sources:
January 2025 Consumer Survey &amp; Ignite Menu Q4 &ndash; 2024 &ndash; Technomic
Health Perception vs. Reality &ndash; 2025 &ndash; Technomic

Forget rules and restrictive diets. Today’s diners are hungry for real ingredients, transparency and flexibility.

The New Rules of “Healthy” in Foodservice: Real, Craveable and Customizable

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The New Rules of “Healthy” in Foodservice: Real, Craveable and Customizable