Consumers Making Healthier Choices At Restaurants

Governments at the federal, state and local levels have moved in various ways to legislate healthier eating in the U.S., but it appears that American consumers are beating them to the punch.

According to The NPD Group, a market research firm, foods high in sugar content or fat have been ordered less frequently at restaurants over the past ten years.

NPD's CREST service, which continually tracks consumer usage of commercial and non-commercial foodservice, finds a decrease in consumption of regular carbonated soft drinks, hot dogs, fried chicken, and French fries. Simultaneously, some foods that could be considered healthier because of lower sugar and fat content, have been ordered more than in the past.

According to CREST, these foods include milk, grilled chicken and grilled chicken sandwiches, non-fried fish, breakfast cereals, fruit, and yogurt.

 Healthy shift

"This shift in consumers choosing healthier foods at restaurants is partially due to the increasing availability of healthier foods on restaurant menus," said Bonnie Riggs, restaurant industry analyst at The NPD Group. "Restaurant operators are responding to their customers' needs for healthier or lighter foods."

While restaurants - including fast food outlets - have begun in recent years to add healthier items to their menus, most still offer large portions, as an inducement to draw in customers. Eating larger than normal portions of even healthy food can give consumers more calories than they need. Still, these findings may come as good news for health advocates, as a sign their efforts are beginning to pay off.

According to NPD's report, which provides forecasts over the next decade of restaurant segments, categories, visit situations, and specific beverage and food products, consumer demand for healthy/light foods at restaurants is not a short-term trend. The researchers predict it will continue to grow over the next decade.

For example, servings of healthy/light sandwiches, one of the food groups under the healthy/light category studied for the report, are projected to grow by 13 percent over the next ten years. Included in the healthy/light sandwich group were grilled chicken and fish, turkey, cold cut combos, tuna and chicken salad, and veggie sandwiches.