How to take your menu plant-forward for 2023

Taking Veganuary all year round can be a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be. We have some great tips on how to make vegan a permanent menu addition for those continuing and for anyone taking up this lifestyle option this year.

Many ingredients suitable for vegans don’t affect quality or taste. Burger buns, dressings, cakes and desserts can be a great place to start to make swaps. We have more swap inspiration in one of our latest blogs.

Choosing a known-brand protein can really help and quoting it on your menu e.g., burgers and dairy alternatives. Consumers often have their favourite plant-based & vegan brands and look out for them when deciding where to eat out for quality reassurance.

Why not tree should this be start Meat Free Mondays? Break this into your menu gently by offering a couple of new vegan dishes every Monday – this might help you to decide whether this is something you want to put on your menu permanently.

Ensure your kitchen has the ingredients in the pantry it needs to prepare your vegan dishes, from condiments to dairy alternatives. It also means that if a customer asks you to make a swap – you can do so. Check out our dry store here.

At Brakes, we also offer pre-made dishes such as a Chickpea, Sweet Potato & Spinach Curry or Mushroom & Mixed Lentil Bolognaise these come frozen in individual pouches which saves you on time, cost and labour.

Don’t be scared to try and innovate by using new products, most cook exactly like their non-vegan counterpart. Keeping up with trending products can also encourage consumers to return.

We are always updating our ‘Plant-based, max taste’ page with latest launches and new ingredients. Check out some recent recipes our development chefs have created using new food:

There are plenty of great resources out there to help you when planning your menu with plant-based in mind. We have our fantastic Vegan Hub, which has loads of tools to support you through out the year including our menu planner.

You can also visit the likes of Veganuary and Vegan Society for more information.