A college cafeteria always needs to have a variety of options for students. After all, the dining experience at the college cafeteria needs to be up-to-date with what students need and the top trends, because who knows more about new trends than teenagers?
By staying on top of the latest food trends, you will stand out from the other university cafeterias that primarily serve burgers and fries, giving people a reason to come to your establishment.
This article provides the top 9 trends for college university cafeterias for 2022 to get students interested in your food. Try them out this Spring and let us know how they work.
Challenges of College University Cafeterias Today
While serving college students meals seems like a simple task, it can become quite challenging. It’s hard to be creative and make everyone happy while staying within university budget guidelines.
Thankfully, the experts at Rosseto are here to help. We want to share our 9 top trends to make your college and university cafeteria the better choice for 2022.
Top 9 Trends for College University Cafeterias for 2022
As we enter a new year, it’s essential to understand the trends we are currently seeing in the college university cafeteria. Here’s what we’ve found.
1. Offer Vegan Options
We are more convinced than ever that a vegan diet is the diet of the future. Whether it’s for health reasons or the love of animals, more and more teenagers (and adults) are choosing vegan food as a way of living and eating.
For vegans, it’s essential to know that there are vegan meal options in the college cafeteria. You can offer plant-based hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. These types of meal offerings will show you care about all students, and you want them to eat at and feel included within your cafeteria.
Moving towards the future, we expect to see a transition of vegetarian options becoming vegan options on menus.
2. Offer Healthy Options
Young people are becoming more and more health-conscious, and health-conscious students would like healthy options to choose from. Sometimes junk food tastes good, but it isn’t always the best choice for your health.
Consider including more natural ingredients in your food options for your college/university cafeteria. Additionally, health conscious diners are developing a greater awareness about the benefit of serving fruits and vegetables right after they are harvested.
3. Have Multiple Kinds of Milk
Have more than regular cow’s milk to offer to your students. Other types of milk are equally good, healthier, and vegan. Also, offering multiple milk options will make a massive difference for people intolerant to lactose.
Different kinds of milk you can offer include:
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Almond milk
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Oat milk
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Soy milk
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Coconut milk
4. Source Locally and Sustainably
Young people are becoming more and more conscious about where their food comes from. You’ll not only provide a healthier meal by partnering with local suppliers, but you’ll also position your cafeteria as one that supports the local economy. You will undoubtedly attract more students by catering your menu to these factors.
5. Sell Homemade and Natural Juices
Who doesn’t love natural juices? Spring is a great season to start tasting new spring flavors. Play around with some of the seasonal fruits like:
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Mangoes
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Apricots
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Strawberries
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Kiwis
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Pineapple
Best of all, they are all healthy and delicious.
6. Focus on Zero Waste
The importance of sourcing locally and sustainably is growing as people become more conscious about where their food comes from. Even though it is nearly impossible to have a zero-waste food operation, there are still things that can be done, such as composting organic waste and donating excess food to those in need.
Have a zero-waste breakfast with Rosseto’s dispensers. Check out the line of touchless beverage dispensers for sleek and durable equipment that is sure to last in your cafeteria.
7. Offer Comfort Foods
Don’t be scared to go back to the basics. Traditional and common dishes like roasted chicken are simply easy to eat, and everyone loves it.
8. Give Students Fewer Options
Make the decision-making process easier for students. A lot of food options mean more choices to make. These kids are at college. They are there just for a quick and good lunchtime with friends. People want to know that they will be taken care of. They want you to make the decision easy.
9. Consider Open Fire Cooking
Open fire cooking is simple, traditional, and tastes terrific. It allows the natural taste of the ingredients to shine. Also, it’s a faster way to get meals out to hungry students.
Conclusion
Staying on top of food trends atcollege and university cafeterias doesn’t have to be complicated. Hopefully, with these top 9 tips, you’ll be well on your way.
Don’t forget, when choosing your college and university cafeteria food menu, make sure to use high-quality ingredients, display those items on the menu, and educate staff about them. And finally, don’t be afraid!
