Fruit is naturally sweet and delicious, which can truly be a focal point of a dining experience. Recently, fruit has become more popular on menus, especially figs, pomegranates, apricots, and plantains. Most consumers eat less than the recommended amount of fruit per day, so adding this into the menu encourages good health. Fruit is low in fat and calories, while rich in vitamins in minerals. It also provides natural sweetness that many people crave. 

Appetizers and salads are a great way to incorporate fruit. For example, a popular summer salad is fresh spinach with goat cheese and diced strawberries, finished with a balsamic vinaigrette. Another great appetizer is delicious cheese with sliced almonds, crispy crostini’s and a fig spread, which is great for sharing and is not too high in calories. Fruit can also be used to add a sweet touch to certain entrees, such as a peach puree to create a sauce that accompanies a delicious pork chop. Plantains, usually prepared fried or roasted, are also commonly found in entrees, but also appear in side dishes. 

Cooked fruit can also be wonderful additions. Cooking fruit intensifies the flavor and is incredibly versatile in the types of dishes it can appear in. Some examples include pizzas, topped with cooked pears or peaches, citrus chicken with grilled fruit, or even a dessert like ice cream with roasted fruit. 

Using fruit in your restaurant presents year-round opportunities to keep menus refreshed. Consider highlighting your menu with fresh and cooked fruit to improve customer satisfaction and increase sales in your operation. Contact Wawona Frozen Foods to see how we can assist you!

Many customers enjoy fruit, but appetizers aren’t typically where you find fruit on the menu. With spring and summer quickly upon us, customers are seeking refreshing fruit dishes, including appetizers. Here’s how you can add fruit to that section of your menu.

Peach & goat cheese crostini. Crostini is plural for the Italian word crostino, meaning “little toasts.” Peach and goat cheese crostini use small, bite-sized pieces of crunchy bread, typically a French baguette. On top go goat cheese, peaches, some balsamic glaze, and other seasonings.

Fruit platters. These are straightforward to make, and, if done right, they’re also a work of art. Fruit platters can include your basic items such as oranges, peaches, pears, and mango, but they can also incorporate more unique items such as dragonfruit. You can design fruit platters in various patterns.

Skewers. Another very simple idea, skewers involve taking some customer favorites and “skewing” them on a stick. These skewers can be entirely fruit, using grapes, mango, pineapple, honeydew, strawberries, and more, or they can incorporate meat with vegetables and pineapple, for instance.

Bruschetta. Similar to crostini, bruschetta is small bits of bread topped with various ingredients. The difference between this and crostini is that bruschetta has more seasoning on the bread, where crostini tends to get all its flavor from the toppings. Try adding some fruit to your latest bruschetta.

Salsa. Salsa goes great with chips, and together they make the perfect appetizer. Consider adding fruit items such as peach, mango, or pineapple to your menu’s salsas for extra springtime flavor.

Missing fruit for your new appetizers? Wawona Frozen Foods specializes in the growing and freezing of fresh fruit. Learn how we can help you delight your customers today!

Related: Incorporate Fruit Into Your Entrees!