In any healthcare facility’s foodservice department, ease is just as important as nutrition. After all, your staff is responsible for caring for countless patients, each of whom have their own unique dietary needs, restrictions, and preferences, which means you’re likely always in need of new ideas to help you grow to meet your patients’ increasing demands and higher expectations while still supporting your staff. With in increased focus on mindful eating, trends in foodservice seem to be aligning pretty nicely with most facilities’ baseline objectives, and that means now’s the perfect time to start thinking about your growth. Below are just a few ideas for how you can start this process with little to no risk for you or your patients!
Salads
Right now, salads are all the rage and hold immense potential for growth, especially for hospitals. Eating healthy is always a priority for healthcare providers, but versatility, taste, and even control matter just as much from a patient’s perspective. Salads offer the best of both these worlds. Cost-efficient ingredients and greater versatility allow healthcare providers to repurpose savings into fresher, more diverse ingredients, while simultaneously allowing patients, staff, and guests the pleasure of eating meals that are perfectly tailored to them – which will ultimately reduce food waste and lead to even more savings!
Sandwiches
Right behind salads in popularity lately is sandwiches. When made with whole grain breads and high quality fillings, this hearty meal option makes for the perfect lunch, brunch, or snack for any patient or staff member on the go. Like salads, the exceptional versatility and potential of sandwiches provide patients a quick and healthy meal in which they are more likely to feel satisfied, increasing their health and happiness, and reducing costs for you. Additionally, sandwiches are equally suitable for any diet, from vegan BBQ sandwiches made with jackfruit and vegetarian Greek salad sandwiches, to high protein and gluten-free options.
Flexible Mealtimes
Although many believe lunch to be the part of the day with the greatest sales growth potential, it’s important to remember that flexible mealtimes can also be extraordinarily effective for reducing expenses and increasing satisfaction. After all, most consumers today have moved on from traditional breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and your patients are the same. They want freedom and control not only over what they eat, but also when – especially since patients’ appetites don’t often align with scheduled mealtimes due to their compromised health and treatment schedules. By offering all-day breakfasts or brunch, late-night meal options, or even snack times, your patients will never have to choose between forcing themselves to eat something when they don’t want to and anxiously waiting till their next scheduled meal.
Ultimately, it’s all about balance. Balancing the ever changing needs of your patients, with the ever changing needs of your facility and staff. So long as you do that, natural growth is inevitable. Call 629.777.8989, or fill in the free consultation form in the sidebar, to learn more about how our software can positively impact the lives of the patients and visitors you service every day.