The quality, variety and versatility of Olives from Spain make creating craveable, on-trend menu items a snap. From trending tapas and share-worthy snacks to new takes on holiday favorites, Olives from Spain are a back-of-house powerhouse for all college and university food service operators. Food service directors can quickly create on-trend menu items that are sure to shake up and wake up just about any menu – day and night.
Promote healthy eating
Generations of people have enjoyed olives for their health-promoting qualities as well as their taste. They’re a natural antioxidant, a natural source of vitamin E and are a good source of fiber. Taste, health and quality are key for students, too. In fact, students continue to demand improvements in these areas, according to Technomic’s 2019 College & University Consumer Trend Report, which reveals that just two-fifths or fewer students rate the quality, taste and health of menu offerings at their school as good or very good. Health is crucial, with 51% of students saying it’s important to eat healthy and pay attention to nutrition.
Healthy salads are an easy place to incorporate olives. Get creative. Mix them in with quinoa (another healthy favorite), mango, feta, red pepper, basil, honey and cider vinegar to create a tropical tone, or add them to a tuna salad (hold the mayo) with red onion, tomatoes and egg to create a little Mediterranean flair.
Stay on trend
Technomic’s College & University report also showed that, compared to 2017, 45% of students say they’re more likely to skip meals or replace them with snacks. There are many ways to create snacks that can be shared or enjoyed alone. For example, fried olives and olive tapenade are ideal for group munchies or as a quick snack on the fly.
Olives can easily be added to trendy menu items ranging from poke bowls to ceviche to dumplings. Olives from Spain provide a unique twist to any of these current and popular choices.
Breakfast is also a place to consider adding a healthy dose of olives—whether black, green or stuffed. Breakfast paninis, burritos and omelets are satisfying dishes that let olives shine.
Have fun with holidays and special events
The holidays are always a fun time to explore new menu choices and flavor combinations. For instance, diners looking for plant-based options will love a Thanksgiving Vegan Wellington. It just requires some puff pastry and a little imagination when it comes to the filling. For instance, a combination of mushrooms, olives, carrots, onion and an array of herbs could spice things up nicely.
Likewise, the big game or awards show parties are also a great time to kick off some new ideas—top hotdogs with an olive relish or add them to fish tacos for a tasty surprise.
Adding olives to university dining menus is not just limited to the occasional antipasto platter or nacho topping. They require no prep, are easy to find and can adapt to many menu offerings. Placing them in unexpected places may yield unexpected returns for food service operators, too.
You can find more recipes here.
This post is sponsored by EU and Olives from Spain