This is a special message from Barilla.

If there is one thing that foodservice operators know about selling better-for-you-foods, it’s that it takes more than numbers to move the health-minded customer. Thus it is wise to play up the quality, flavor and eye-appeal of a menu item rather than simply call out the calories and fat grams.

That is borne out by recent research by The NPD Group. Although it is typically perceived that consumers equate healthy eating with low-calorie and low-fat foods, the Port Washington, N.Y.-based research firm found otherwise. Consumers actually tend to think about healthier eating in terms of food quality, balanced meals, portions and cooking methods. That is an insight that chain restaurant operators in particular should ponder with federal menu labeling regulations on the way.

“There are those people who do much better with the structure of counting calories,” said Deanne Brandstetter, vice president of nutrition and wellness for Compass Group North America, the Charlotte, N.C.-based foodservice management company. “But there are others for whom focusing on positive messages like ‘eat a variety of colors’ may be better.”

The colors of healthy foods pointed the way to better eating in the Eat. Learn. Live with Color promotion at more than 1,000 Compass Group education, healthcare and corporate-dining accounts in March. It encouraged patrons “to color your plate healthy” by enjoying meals composed from a varied array of colorful vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds, with Barilla PLUS and whole grain pasta as the “canvas” of the meals. The recipes tapped a variety of produce including winter greens, butternut squash, red bell pepper, eggplant and fresh herbs.

“With a high-quality, high-protein, nutritious pasta as a canvas, you can add all these different colors and really wind up with a very nutrient-dense meal,” said Brandstetter.

Selections included Whole Grain Penne with Eggplant, Cherry Tomatoes and Parmesan, featuring Barilla whole grain penne, and Thai Noodle Salad with Chilies, Peanuts, Bok Choy and Citrus Grilled Chicken, with Barilla PLUS spaghetti, which is made with multiple grains and legumes.

Backing up the message in the cafes were cooking demos by chefs and digital slide shows of colorful dishes with educational messages about the healthful nutrients of colorful foods, such as the lycopene in tomatoes and the phytochemicals in spinach and broccoli.

At the University of California at Berkeley, one approach to promoting healthy eating can be summed up as follows: “Don’t talk about how healthy a dish is, talk about how sexy it is.”

That is the advice of Ida Shen, assistant director, culinary, for Cal Dining at the university, which is known for its large contingent of healthy eaters. The department taps the expertise of prominent chefs and cookbook authors like Mollie Katzen and Deborah Madison to create better-for-you campus fare to serve them.

At Cal recently, the big flavors of whole grain spaghetti with arugula-pistachio pesto were a hit with students. The vegan item combined the nutty nuance of whole grain pasta with spicy arugula, sweet pistachios and the added zest of miso and nutritional yeast.

“There were a lot of non-vegans who ate it,” said Shen. “It was a very healthy meal that sold really well not because we claimed it was healthy, but because it tasted good.”

Barilla whole grain spaghetti and penne regularly appear on campus pasta bars and menus. Students often enjoy them with a pureed sauce of vegetables and tomatoes roasted with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garlic. Also popular is whole grain pasta dressed just with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and chili flakes.

“That is such a true Italian dish and really great with whole wheat pasta,” said Shen. “Sometimes students are looking for simple.”

Another way to promote healthier dishes is to assure patrons that they are as tasty as everything else on the menu. Thus at Boston’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, a dish called Whole Wheat Chicken & Herb Pasta, made with Barilla whole grain penne, proudly takes its place in the Gourmet Pastas section of the menu alongside indulgent fare like Baked Traditional Lasagna and Spicy Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo.

In this dish, the whole grain penne is tossed with chicken and light, flavorful accompaniments like sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, red onions and broccoli, and served in a white wine sauce with fresh basil.

“This is our best thinking on whole grain pasta and the ingredients that go with it,” said Randy Steinbrenner, vice president of sales and marketing for the Dallas-based casual-dining chain, which has 50 locations in the U.S. and Mexico.
“People are getting in the health-conscious mode more and more,” said Steinbrenner. “Five years ago, it didn’t exist. Now, it is almost a price of entry to have a whole grain or healthier option on your menu.”