Increasingly, consumers are becoming flexible. Flexible about their diets, flexible with the flavors they crave, flexible on value. And restaurants want flexibility on the type of ingredients that can extend menus to a wider variety of diners, without pushing the budget.
Chicago-based registered dietician Dawn Jackson Blatner helped bring the concept of the flexitarian diet to the mainstream. This way of looking at food is for more casual fans of veggie-forward dining — those that lean healthy but want the ability to occasionally splurge.
Which is really a great fit for modern diners in general. Many are looking to eat healthier — take the fibermaxxing trend for example — while still indulging in vibrant international flavors and dishes they can enjoy wherever they are.
Patty Piece of Cake
Patties of all kinds — from beef, to fish, to veggie — work well across menus as the daypart lines continue to blur. In fact, according to data from Circana*, veg-forward offerings are actually outpacing other patty options year-over-year. Heading into the second half of summer, consider how a balanced veggie-based patty can intersect with those dynamic, summery Caribbean, Asian, Southwestern flavor profiles.
Like Royal Thai Curry Patties from MorningStar Farms® — packed with real veggies you can see (and taste); nine different vegetables in total. This great source of fibermaxxing pops with green peas, green and red bell peppers, kale, broccoli florets, and green lentils, all pulled together in a balanced blend of warm spices and savory notes.
- Plant first ✓
- Meatless ✓
- Mindful portions ✓
- Health benefits ✓
- Sustainable ✓
- Accessible ✓
Take Your Menu Forward
Packed with all those vegged out goodies, it’s easy to tell that this isn’t your average patty. And it’s the strikingly aromatic Thai curry flavor — consistently ranking as a top cuisine choice — that shines on a menu.
Consider how the curry notes perfectly commingle with Thai chilis, Thai-style pico de gallo, and crunchy banana chips on a Thai Pico Burger. Or how a bun slathered in a green chile pinto bean puree can add a flavor blast to a Southwest Veggie Burger. Explore even more taste buds with an Asian Veggie Grill Delight — as Asian Pride® Hoisin Sauce is drizzled over a patty, topped with grilled shitake mushrooms and spicy kimchi.
The flexible patty can be presented in a number of other ways as well: sliced to form a BBQ “Riblet” Sandwich, like that one popular fast food LTO; crumble and spread over a protein grain bowl; add curry notes to salads; slot inside a range of portable wraps. You can even chop it up and serve with dipping sauces as part of a veggie-forward bar snack menu
With all the factors impacting dining, set sail with flavor and let flexibility be your guiding star.
*Circana, 12 months ending January 2025, Foodservice excluding Foodstores and K-12.
*Content provided in collaboration with Kellanova