Choice Overload: Making Meal Selection Easier

“What do you want to eat?”

“I don’t know…what do you want to eat?”

If this conversation sounds familiar, that’s because consumers make about 200 choices a day when it comes to food alone. Between breakfast, lunch or dinner -that averages out to three meals a day, 21 meals a week and a whopping 360 meals in an average 30-day month.

In today's fast-paced world, people are bombarded with choices at every turn, and it's no different when deciding what to eat each day. From meal planning to grocery shopping, the array of options can often lead to “choice overload,” leaving us overwhelmed and fatigued. However, food service operators can make the food decision-making process more convenient and enjoyable and help eliminate some of the stress of answering the “what should I eat” culinary conundrum.

Prepared Meals

Prepared meals can be a game-changer for those seeking a quick and hassle-free dining experience. These solutions offer various chef-prepared dishes catering to various dietary preferences and restrictions. With prepared meals, consumers don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen and instead experience satisfying meals without the fuss.

Delivery & Take-out

Food delivery and take-out options provide the ultimate convenience for busy folks or those who prefer to dine in the comfort of their homes. Consumers increasingly demand convenience as an ideal solution without needing to cook or clean.  From local joints to global cuisines, consumers now have an extensive array of options at their fingertips. To help ease the frustration of finding the right thing to order, include eye-catching photos and/or showcase promotional offers to inspire and entice your customers to make the right decision.

Meal Kits

Meal kits have emerged as a creative solution to simplify cooking while allowing consumers to enjoy homemade meals. These kits include pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes, making meal preparation a breeze. By eliminating the need to plan and shop for ingredients, meal kits can eliminate the need for one meal decision per day, or possibly more.

Daily food decisions can be daunting and even impact the enjoyment of the dining experience. Fortunately, food service solutions like prepared meals, delivery, take-out, and meal kits offer practical ways to simplify the process and help consumers regain the joy of eating. Food service operators can look for ways to embrace these convenient options to deliver customers delicious meals and help them focus on enjoying the meal without the stress.

TIP: To deliver an exceptional dining experience that’s convenient, fresh and tasty, operators need to pick the right packaging. For instance, polypropylene clamshells and two-piece containers are ideal for take-out, delivery and fresh-prepared options. Grocery stores and supermarkets need to consider solutions that have multi-use applications such as the oven, fridge or freezer. Sabert’s Dual-Ovenable trays quickly and safely heat all types of shelf-stable, refrigerated or frozen foods in ovens or microwaves without worry.