Neha Anand

Director, Kings Group Ventures

Dining out with a dietary restriction is a frustration that I deeply understand and I’ve made it my mission to provide an inclusive pizza experience for our diners that are gluten and/or dairy intolerant through multiple gluten-free crust and vegan options. With the changing habits of customers and focus on nutritious foods, mindful eating has taken top priority in customer expectations. Circle of Crust offers options of beetroot, spinach, and corn that comprise 60% vegetable, 100% whole wheat crust with the goodness of roasted flax seeds, and multigrain crust options to customers. For those who are gluten intolerant, there’s the classic gluten-free crust along with quinoa and buckwheat too! With a varied choice of sauces and toppings, customers are spoiled for choice in making pizza their own way. Circle of Crust always makes pizza but better with a focus on bringing desi flavors to the fore. The delectable pizzas are lower in calories and high in quality and taste. For vegetarians, Circle of Crust offers Vegetale, Paneer Tikka, Mushroomza, Exotica Alfredo, and Veg Heaven. While meat lovers can savor Spicy Grilled Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Pesto Chicken, Chicken Alfredo, Fiery Chicken Pepperoni, and Chicken Kheema & Sausage pizzas. With heavy awareness among customers looking to consume nutrient-heavy foods, Circle of Crust offers vegan pizzas as well as vegan side dishes. Vegan pizzas currently offered are Margherita, Vegetale, Almost Kheema, and Mushroomza, with each slice full of grilled veggies and oozing with dairy-free cheese. Vegetarian pizzas can also be transformed into vegan pizzas by substituting mozzarella with vegan cheese.

Rishabh Misra

Lecturer, FHRAI Institute Of Hospitality Management

Samosas and jalebis have been in the heart of every Indian food lover, and in the world of rising obesity, restaurants have become an easy target for promoting unhealthy food. Especially after COVID 19, everyone wants to be up and running in a systematic fashion. Eating healthy is in the mind of millennials who love eating out. The government regulators may have a role to play but the real work must be done at the ground level where the menus are planned. Before the 2000-2005s, restaurants were largely reserved for special occasions or perhaps a weekly treat. But the present trends have shown regular interests in consumption of the products.

More recently many restaurants have started offering a wide range of healthy and diversified, low calorie options such as salads, calorie-free drinks, vegetarian dishes which are more sustainable in nature, and are also equally profitable than some of the more frequently ordered menu items, making these healthier options increasingly popular.

Different people have different need, some tend to find healthy food for weight loss, some to sustain a better body, the exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet may vary upon individual characteristics such as age, gender, and lifestyle, but the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same. Fast-food chains have made their fortune by offering food with a better shelf life, but often tend to be less healthy. The need for healthy food on the restaurant menu has not only been desired by the people but the regulations have also stated to press for this. There are many steps restaurants can take to build a better menu, A healthy restaurant menu item would incorporate vegetables and whole grains, while also limiting sodium intake to minimum. The Indian government declaring 2022-23 as the year of millets, stakeholders must take clue and start planning menus around it. Millet being healthier and richer in soluble and non-soluble fibres have made it the preferred food of millions. Different millets have the potential to replace rice, potato or even refined flour from our diet as well as a favourite accompaniment for our dishes. Not only food on menu even marketing of the same must be done in the right manner. Although “healthy”, “low fat”, or “low sodium” are terms to look for, but these may be replaced by terms like “succulent”, “delicious”, and “fresh” to make it more appealing. Also, placing healthy items on the menu especially, the corners or at the top and bottom of columns makes them stand out more. Even upselling healthy meals and drinks by the sellers and the servers over unhealthy products can help in maximizing the reach. Recommendations are of prime importance as it shows the concern of the industry for eating right and healthy.

The change is in the air and one must not overlook it for pity profits. It is understood that menu developers cannot remove all deep-fried food, steaks or burgers from the menu as they keep the cash counters running, but having healthier options will make a great difference and help in regaining guest confidence as well as trust