Retail Foodservice - Beyond Chicken Salad
Think about it: your grocery deli is really a take-out restaurant. And, at your “restaurant,” your customers want their favorites – sliced meats and cheeses, fruit, tuna and potato salads, and artichoke and spinach dips – but they also want variety, great taste and healthy foods for themselves, their families and their friends. They’re also looking for the kind of fare they can find at their local bistro, coffee/espresso shop, soup and sandwich cafes and ethic restaurants.
Maybe you already offer grapes as a grab ‘n go fruit choice. Or, perhaps you are including them in signature fruit, chicken and turkey salads. Your fellow restaurateurs in the casual-to-upscale dining segments do too, but they’re also utilizing fresh grapes from California in new, wonderfully inventive ways.
Here are a few stellar ideas from your peers that might work for you, too. (See also our “21 Ways to Use Fresh Grapes in Foodservice.”)
*When fresh grapes from California are in season (May through January) use them in place of tomatoes and craisins in green salads – especially those also featuring nuts and feta, goat and blue cheeses.
*Add whole or halved grapes to wraps and pitas of all stripes. Grapes add a sweet-tangy flavor and juicy texture without the soggy factor.
*Side dishes/main dishes with couscous, rice, bulgur and other grains as their base benefit from the addition of fresh or roasted grapes. This is just the kind of healthy delicious food your customers are looking for.
*Don’t forget that grapes go with – and stand up to – just about any spice, herb, vinegar, oil or flavoring you want to add to the mix.
*Use fresh grapes in baguette sandwiches, such as Vietnamese bánh mí sandwiches or our own Pate Waldorf Sandwich. It’s perfect for a picnic.
