A press release was sent out today announcing the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s annual workshop, Marketing Your Food Product. The workshop, held in Aurora on Thursday, April 24, educates food manufacturers on how to market their locally made products. 

Wendy White, Marketing Specialist for the Colorado Department of Agriculture, has put together a great line-up of speakers. On The Menu will be presenting again on nutrition facts labeling.

We highly recommend this workshop to anyone who is new in the food industry or considering entering the market. Since there is always new information presented, even veterans can gain from this valuable experience. Follow this link for an agenda and registration brochure.

I was fortunate to be invited to the “dress rehearsal” of the grand opening of Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill this week. This new Denver restaurant serves up delicious, fresh and healthy foods from the Mediterranean. Classic dishes include hummus, chicken and beef shwarma, falafels and many fresh salad and sauce choices. Even their pita is homemade with a choice of white or whole wheat.

The company is “committed to offering top quality, natural ingredients using no preservatives and no transfats.” I can attest that my meal (I tried a little of most everything) was incredibly delicious, fresh and had an authentic homemade quality.

The company has plans to run nutrition analysis on their menu. I expect you’ll be able to find many healthy choices to fit your lifestyle. Keep an eye on their website for nutrition information.

Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill’s first location is in Greenwood Village at 8547 East Arapahoe Road, Unit D. With food this good, I anticipate additional locations to follow.

On The Menu’s predictions for 2008:

10. Heart healthy food. An old standby, heart healthy stays in the ranks. America’s number one cause of death is still heart disease. We expect to see continued labeling of heart-healthy (low-fat, trans fat free, lower sodium, high-fiber) foods and menu items.

9. Fair trade food. People will give more attention to how food is produced and give ethical consideration to their purchases.

8. Medicinal food. Watch for foods promoting digestive health, brain function, weight management and beauty.

7. 100 calorie snack pack food. We’ll see more convenience food individually packaged based on the caloric content.

6. Gluten- and allergen-free food. In the three years since we began helping restaurants create gluten-free menus, we’ve seen this trend take off. It’s a win-win for food companies and their customers. Note: FDA’s final definition for “gluten-free” will be announced later this year.

5. Healthy kids’ food. Efforts gain momentum to address the obesity epidemic among children. School and restaurant meals will offer healthier choices. Foods marketed to kids will emphasize less sugar and fat, more whole grains and real fruits and vegetables.

4. Local, sustainably grown food. Organic will continue to be big, but emphasis will be on locally grown foods from sustainable farms.

3. Nutrient dense, real, whole food. Foods that are fortified will fall out of favor to foods that have been minimally processed and are naturally nutrient dense. Manufacturers will make efforts to produce foods free of hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and flavors, high-fructose corn syrup and preservatives.

2. Whole grain food. Not to be found just in bread; we expect to see more whole grain pastas, cereals, crackers and cookies join the movement (no pun intended).

1. Marketing of restaurant food. Nutrition information on restaurant foods will be expected by customers who are more mindful of their eating. Legislation continues to grow in this arena. In Colorado check out the Smart Meal Seal. We believe 2008 is just the tip of the iceberg (pun intended).

At On The Menu we’re raising our glasses to another great year. We’ve had the pleasure to work with wonderful clients and business associates. As the New Year arrives, we’re into our fourth year in business. We’ve gotten a lot of experience under our belts. This year alone we’ve analyzed pickles, salsa, sauces, cakes, cookies, energy bars of all flavors, caramel apples, seasoning mixes, granola, toffee, scones, muffins, dried fruit, peanut butter, soda, herbs, snack foods, ice cream toppings, ice creams, breads, pizza crusts, gluten-free products, flavored popcorns and hundreds of restaurant menu items. Fortunately for our waistlines, our work is not dependant on sampling the food we analyze.

Highlights for 2007 have been traveling to California for the Natural Products Expo West, receiving publicity from the Associated Press, continued work with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment on their Smart Meal Seal initiative, another year of speaking at the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s annual “Marketing Your Food Products” workshop, attendance at Whole Foods Market Inc. local producer meeting, involvement with Slow Food Denver and Chefs Collaborative, creating a new look for our website, starting this blog and best of all working with you.

We expect many exciting things to happen in 2008 and have a few surprises up our sleeves, so please stay in touch. Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Rebekah and Julie

A couple of our clients were mentioned in the Rocky Mountain News on Wednesday, December 12, 2007. Justin’s Nut Butter received press in the Business section of the News due to a $25,000 loan the company received from Whole Foods Market Inc. Local Producer Loan Program. Justin Gold, owner and innovative business man, developed and marketed the idea to put his popular nut butters in single serving packets. The idea has taken off like gang busters, causing the company some growing pains. The loan will help Justin’s Nut Butter meet the demand for their squeeze packets.

Another client, Spinelli’s Sauce Co., was highlighted on December 12, 2007 in the Rocky Mountain News, page 3 of the Spotlight section. The News highly recommended adding their wonderful sauces and dressings to holiday gift baskets. If we can add our two cents, the Creamy Tomato Vodka Sauce is to die for. When you pick up a jar for a gift, be sure to throw one in for yourself.

A study conducted by The Hartman Group, Inc. shows a rise in food label reading by consumers. In their “Pulse Report: Label Reading from a Consumer Perspective” they examined the levels of consumer awareness, familiarity and trust of 13 different food, wellness and sustainablity related symbols and icons used in the marketplace today. The results show:

• 30% of Americans report they read labels much more frequently today than a year ago.
• 31% say they are reading labels slightly more often.
• 36% say they are reading them at about the same rate.
• Only 4% are reading labels less often than a year ago.

Your customers have come to expect labels on food products - an investment well worth making.

Of all the nutrients, fat may get the most attention. While many people try to avoid fat, it is a necessary nutrient. In fact, it is recommended by the USDA dietary guidelines that 25-30 percent of your total calories come from fat. However, keep in mind not all fats are equal. There are two kinds of fat, saturated and unsaturated.

Oils are a mixture of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, though they are usually called by the name of the fat that is most prolific.

Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature. Examples include butter and other dairy products, animal fat and palm and coconut oils. Saturated fat has the reputation of being a damaging fat. It’s been shown to clog your arteries and raise the “bad,” Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol levels.

Unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature and are sourced from plants. There are two types of unsaturated fats, poly- and monounsaturated. Polyunsaturated fats include safflower, corn, soy and sunflower oils. Monounsaturated fats include nut, olive and canola oils. Unsaturated fats have been linked to many health benefits, including the ability to lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Unsaturated fats can be made into “bad” fats when they are hydrogenated. A trans fat is a hydrogenated fat. The reason for hydrogenating a fat (adding hydrogen to the chemical bond) is to make it solid at room temperature (i.e. vegetable oil turned into margarine).

If you’re confused about which are the best fats to use in your products On The Menu can advise.

We’ve worked with you throughout the year and owe you our success.

Everyone at On The Menu agrees that you’re the best.

Whether you’ve gone gluten-free,

or want an analysis of your recipe,

we like you as our customers and enjoy providing you with nutrition labels.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving with healthy food upon your table!

- Rebekah and Julie

Are you looking to improve the quality of your food products? With the myriad of health and environmental issues we face today, many companies are taking the initiative to improve the quality of their offerings. Whether your business is trying to get your products into stores with high ingredient standards or you’re interested in offering healthier items on your menu there are many excellent ingredient substitutions available that can improve the quality of food you offer.

Quite often it is to the benefit of a company’s pocket book to bring their foods to a greater standard. Many Americans are choosing healthier lifestyles, whether it be out of choice or a doctor’s orders. Your customers value good food.

We frequently assist our clients in modifying the following ingredients:

• Hydrogenated fats
• Artificial colors or flavors
• Chemical preservatives
• Artificial sweeteners
• Refined grain

If you have an ingredient in question, On The Menu can make substitution suggestions. Most often, your food products will benefit both in quality and taste. At On The Menu we stand behind the premise that good health is good business.

On The Menu assists restaurants with recipe analysis and marketing of their menu items. The efforts several of our clients have made to provide nutrition information available to their guests have been noticed by a California company, Healthy Dining. Healthy Dining works in collaboration with the National Restaurant Association to list restaurants in their online directory as offering healthy dining choices.

This online directory aims to help people find healthy dining options while eating out. The Healthy Dining Finder, which started in California, has expanded nationwide in part due to a grant from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and support from 5 a Day Campaign. They have a specific nutrition criterion that limits calories and fats and advocates fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Restaurants On The Menu has helped meet the criterion for the directory include Beau Jo’s Colorado Style Pizza, Kate’s at 35th Avenue and The Delectable Egg. If you too would like to increase your business by providing the nutrition information of several or all of your menu items to your guests, please contact us for more information.