Low-Calorie, High Profits
Thanks to the federal menu-labeling requirement, quick serves are revisiting their dessert menus, looking for ways to offer healthier options. By Barney Wolf
Some people may consider the term healthful dessert as a bit of an oxymoron.
Desserts are typically recognized as being indulgent—rich and flavorful—and not necessarily a part of the dining experience that would be considered good for you.
But perception is not always reality, and it’s not necessarily difficult for quick-service restaurants to feature desserts that are nutritious, low in calories, and, yes, even healthy.
“There are actually many good options available at restaurants right now, and new products are being added all the time,” says Kerry Neville, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and a Seattle-based registered dietician.
More than four in five limited-service restaurant chains have desserts on their menus, and a recent survey by Technomic Inc.’s Menu Monitor found that the number of healthier dessert offerings at these companies increased nearly 70 percent over the past two years.
The top dessert items at limited-service units, however, remain pretty traditional. They are cookies, brownies, ice cream, cheesecake, and chocolate cake.
“That’s not a surprise. These are tried and true favorites,” says Maria Caranfa, an analyst for Mintel Menu Insights, which determined the top dessert items. “The first three are portable, which is very important for many customers of these restaurants.”
Adding a healthful dessert item may be as easy as offering fruit, although many diners don’t consider that as a dessert, Neville says. Instead, consumers may be more accepting of fruit as dessert if it is mixed with yogurt, frozen yogurt, or ice cream, or offered with a dip.
“At most places, desserts are cookies, brownies, and cakes that tend to be high in calories and fat and not very nutritious,” says Dr. Julie Kennel Shertzer, director of the dietetic internship program in Ohio State University’s Department of Human Nutrition.
A small serving of low-fat ice cream, however, can provide a diner with 10 percent of his daily calcium requirement. Yogurt is another great source of calcium and other nutrients, while fresh or fresh-frozen fruit can provide various vitamins and minerals.
The easiest way to control calories and fats in desserts is through portion control, according to nutritionists, chefs, and restaurant officials.
“In general, most desserts are Costco-sized,” Neville says. “But a lot of the time, people just want a little dessert, not a huge portion. The problem is that many people will eat what is in front of them, so smaller portions might keep them from going overboard.”
Shertzer uses Wendy’s venerable Frosty dessert as an example. Although a large, 20-ounce original Frosty has 520 calories and 13 grams of total fat, the 6-ounce Junior size has just 150 calories and only 4 grams of fat while providing 15 percent of daily requirements for calcium.
