3 Key Ingredient Switches to Increase Your Bottom Line

Many catering businesses are looking to cut costs to make up for lost business in 2020, so you’re not alone if you’re wondering how you can save money in the year ahead. Contrary to popular belief, though, you don’t need to overhaul your business structure to increase your bottom line. Instead, there are plenty of smaller changes you can make that will impact your profit margins in the long run.

One strategy that has helped caterers to trim the proverbial fat is to do a hard assessment of the ingredients that they source. In many cases, staple ingredients can be replaced with cost-effective alternatives that are softer on the budget without sacrificing any quality.

Now, it’s worth noting that this approach isn’t typically recommended for the stars of your dishes. Proteins, like beef, chicken, seafood, and game, certainly differ in quality based on their source, as do many vegetables. Instead, look to the less significant ingredients when consider where to make swaps. 

Here are three areas to consider for switching out ingredients while maintaining the top-notch quality that your clients expect.

Grains & Legumes

These kitchen staples often form the base of dishes, supporting the proteins and veggies by adding starchy texture and soaking up flavor. However, on their own, grains and legumes are pretty basic. If you’ve been splurging on the best available rice, barley, beans, split peas, and the like, you’re likely spending more than necessary.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with more budget-friendly brands on the market; run a small trial with a new brand to see how it fits into your existing recipes. It’s natural to stick to the tried-and-true products that you’ve grown comfortable with, but there are always new brands entering the market that may help you increase your bottom line without losing any quality.

Herbs & Spices

Herbs and spices make up the bulk of a meal’s flavor profile, but that doesn’t mean you always need to splurge on the premium brands. In fact, many budget-friendly brands offer the same punch of flavor for a fraction of the cost.

Fresh herbs, on the other hand, are one of the biggest culprits of food waste due to their short shelf life. Since food waste is essentially like tossing money in the trash, it’s best to only purchase as much fresh herbs as needed for a recipe.

When possible, see if the recipe remains unchanged when using dried herbs — often, you can skip the fresh herbs in lieu of dried, which have a far longer shelf life. Just be sure to store dried herbs carefully (away from light, moisture, and heat) and stick to the recommended measurements. In general, aim for one-third of what the recipe calls for fresh herbs (so 1 tbsp fresh parsley would equal 1 tsp dried parsley).

Plant-based Proteins

If your clients are open to it, consider swapping traditional animal proteins for plant-based proteins, like lentils, tofu, seitan, or tempeh. These ingredients aren’t just more cost-effective than cuts of meat or seafood, but they’re also quite versatile.

With animal welfare and environmental concerns on the rise, the world of plant-based proteins has exploded in the past few years and you’ll find that there are countless ways to replicate meat with plants. Bonus: You won’t have to create multiple options on the menu to accommodate vegetarian and vegan guests, as plant-based dishes can be enjoyed by all!

A few small changes to your current system can have a big impact on your bottom line while requiring minimal effort. You don’t have to make these switches all at once, either; instead, make replacements one at a time to ensure the transition is seamless and maintains the integrity of your dishes.