With the number of individuals requesting vegetarian, vegan, or “flexitarian” options when dining out, the foodservice industry must continue to provide multiple options on their menus to accommodate such diets and preferences. Indeed, the inclusion of plant-based menu options, apart from being business-savvy, also creates increased customer appeal. The difficulty, however, is estimating the quantity of fresh produce to keep on hand in the face of fluctuating demand. To face this issue, high-density pre-portioning bags offer the solution, promising unparalleled time, food cost, and labor savings while upholding the highest standard of service and reliability.

By pre-portioning plant-based ingredients, the journey from kitchen to table unfolds with consistency and flavor while time is saved, eliminating the food waste that rough calculations by staff can provoke. Unnecessary food waste adds up in the long-term, so pre-portioning bags (whether printed with daily, weekly, or tinted) colors which indicate “use-by” dates allow effortless identification and greater organization that facilitates any FIFO food rotation program, proven to be effective at lowering costs.

Furthermore, plant-based meal kits can be assembled in advance and frozen: keeping the produce with sealed-in freshness via the flip top closures found on pre-portioning bags. These meal kits are then ready to defrost at a moment’s notice when required. No more calculations of how much fresh produce to inventory – simply assemble the plant-based meal kits, place in the pre-portioned bags and freeze until service times.

Definitively, pre-portioning bags in the preparation of vegetarian and vegan options allows businesses in the foodservice industry to remain competitive, increase profitability, decrease loss of product, and ensure consistency across the board.

Content courtesy of Handgards