THE BENEFITS OF HYBRID DISHES IN FOODSERVICE: BLENDING MEAT WITH PLANT-BASED PROTEIN

1. Concerns over the environmental impact of meat

One of the key motivators in consumers and businesses looking for plant-based options is the environmental impact of meat production. Providing hybrid dishes with the texture, flavour, and appearance of familiar and well-loved options allows meat-eating consumers to comfortably enjoy more sustainable alternatives. Many meat eaters aren’t ready to completely give up on their favourite dishes but are looking for ways to eat healthier and reduce their carbon footprint. Plant-based proteins have a significantly lower impact than their animal counterparts. For example, the climate impact of our ambient ingredients when hydrated is approximately just over 1kg CO2e/kg of product! Blending these products with meat in hybrid recipes is an easy win when pushing towards sustainability goals as they satisfy the desire for more sustainable options without a drastic rewriting of current menus.

Many sites have even kick-started initiatives that are centered around swapping out conventional proteins for a more sustainable, planet-friendly alternative! At Eat Curious, we are proud to have partnered with Angel Hill, OCS, whose Big Carbon Kick Out initiative focuses on exactly that! Executive Development Chef Matt Vernon explains that “using [Eat Curious] Dehydrated Mince and Pieces allows us to reduce animal products by 50% in our recipes without compromising on taste and nutrition”. He further explains that Eat Curious products have a lower carbon footprint than animal proteins and other vegetarian alternatives, such as chickpeas, which makes them a winning solution for businesses that wish to showcase their commitment to sustainability.

2. A cost-effective solution

Swapping out a percentage of conventional animal protein for a plant-based alternative can be an effective strategy to reduce costs without sacrificing texture and flavour. Plant-based proteins like our Eat Curious dehydrated products are not only cheaper to purchase than animal proteins, but they are also more cost-effective to store. Our Eat Curious Dehydrated Mince and Pieces are stored ambient, saving on both space and energy costs. They triple in volume once hydrated or can be soaked overnight to create a larger yield. Blending these products with meat allows foodservice operators to stretch the supply of their animal protein. For example, adding our dehydrated mince to a chili allows chefs to use less meat per portion whilst still retaining the desired texture, flavour, and protein-levels. This allows sites to spend less without making sacrifices that will disappoint consumers.

Bal Mahal, a procurement manager for Pelican Procurement Services, describes these savings:

“Many Pelican clients work with the Eat Curious team to find innovative solutions to reduce meat consumption in a volatile market by blending recipes. The impact is a lower carbon footprint, reduced menu costs, and healthier products. My clients in the healthcare and education sector also benefit from the products being ambient, as products are dry stored, releasing freezer space that can be reallocated to other high volume frozen products”. 

3. Allowing for creative menu ideas

Hybrid dishes are new, exciting and can fuel creativity in the kitchen! They encourage chefs to experiment with different techniques, products, and flavours – in turn pushing the boundaries of traditional dishes. A blended approach to cooking also allows chefs to reach a broader range of customers; from avid meat-eaters to those looking to reduce their intake.

Looking for ways to encourage chefs to experiment with hybrid cooking or simply try out plant-based cooking? Why not run a competition? Eat Curious is always happy to support chefs and allow their creative juices to flourish by collaborating on sustainable recipe competitions. A recent competition with OCS produced a fantastic array of flavour-packed dishes, ranging from Moroccan sausage rolls to sweet and sour curious pieces. The winning recipe can be found here. 

Our culinary team has also been busy in the kitchen creating some hybrid recipes for your chefs to take inspiration from. Ranging from a warming chili to a hearty cottage pie, these accessible dishes are a fantastic starting point. Discover our range of hybrid recipes here.

4. Creating dishes with good nutritional profiles

Hybrid dishes are a fantastic way to create dishes that are nutritionally balanced and still packed with flavour! Mixing animal proteins with our minimally processed products made from pea and fava bean concentrates allows you to keep dishes high in protein whilst also increasing fibre and reducing fat. Ideal for a more well-rounded diet! New Food Magazine explains that hybrid products “can be associated with positive health claims such as ‘a source of fibre’. These products might be suitable for those consumers who want to try something different and/or lower their meat consumption but are not yet ready to move to meat-free alternatives.” Considering that 66% of the UK are vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian because they are health or planet-conscious, or both, it is key that sites recognise this to ensure they satisfy consumers. Adding hybrid dishes to your menus provides these health-conscious individuals with a variety of options that hit their requirements!

In summary, hybrid dishes are an innovative and exciting way to tackle evolving consumer requirements, bridging the gap between meat-eaters, flexitarians, and vegans. As the demand for flexibility within foodservice grows, Eat Curious is here to help you stay ahead of the curve by supporting you with creative ways to move towards a healthier plant-based future!