Jim Painter, PhD, RD
Professor, School of Family & Consumer Sciences
Eastern Illinois University

The art of enticing consumers to improve diet quality by making dishes “slightly healthier”, and just as appetizing and flavorful. It is a focus on positive changes to foods and the dining environment vs. food restriction.
World Menu Report #3: Seductive Nutrition, 2012

S w e e t o t
S p
Creating delicious, slightly healthier meals with appealing descriptions
World Menu Report #3: Seductive Nutrition, 2012

• More expensive
• Not as filling
• Less appetizing
World Menu Report #3: Seductive Nutrition, 2012

• Favorite foods
• “Slightly healthier”
World Menu Report #3: Seductive Nutrition, 2012

• Plenty of vegetables
• Lower in fat
• Right-size portions
• Grilled
• Fresh Ingredients
• Lower in calories
World Menu Report #3: Seductive Nutrition, 2012

side of crisp
Sweet Potato
Fries
Select a dish, and make it slightly healthier
Romance the menu Sell the sizzle

“Low calorie, low fat, no salt. . .
No wonder the dog doesn’t beg anymore”

– Portion
– Size and shape of containers
– Visibility and convenience
– Visual cues
– Can labels change the taste of food

• Focus on ingredients:
– Pacific salmon
– Selection of farmer’s market vegetables
• Tell a story:
– We only buy the freshest ingredients from local suppliers…
• Describe preparation:
– “Thoughtfully prepared”
– Pan-roasted

Warning:
– Use “nutrition” and “health” cautiously when positioning
– Be careful with Light menus, lower calorie sections and options —sometimes the kiss of death

Slightly healthier
+ great tasting =
Best of
Both Worlds

Romancing Salmon on the Menu:
Line-caught Alaskan salmon grilled to perfection, then topped with a garden-fresh relish using heirloom tomatoes and cucumber

Romancing a Taco on the Menu:
California-style Fish Taco: We start with a fresh corn tortilla, layer on a generous portion of
Baja-grilled tilapia, add fresh avocado slices, crisp shredded cabbage, tomato and sour cream, and garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh lime. This fish taco is a real catch!

Romancing Fried Shrimp on the Menu:
Dig into a duo of fresh Gulf shrimp! Half of your order will be crispy fried shrimp served with our zesty house-made cocktail sauce; the other half consists of grilled shrimp lightly garnished with fresh-squeezed lemon and parsley.

Ingredients :
• ½ of an avocado
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 2 T. cocoa powder
• 1 Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Eggs
• 2 packets of Splenda
Directions :
• Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

No-Sugar-Added Eggnog
Serves 5
Ingredients
:
6 Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Eggs
1/2 c powdered Splenda®
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 c skim milk
1 tsp rum extract (optional) nutmeg or cinnamon for garnish
Directions
:
1. Break eggs into large bowl. Beat eggs until light in color. Mix in Splenda® and vanilla. Add skim milk.
Blend with egg mixture for 30 seconds.
2. Cover eggnog closely and let ripen in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
3. Stir again and serve sprinkled with freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon.
SafeEggs.com/nosugar

Ingredients:
• 1 c. almond meal/flour
• ½ c. unsweetened coconut
• ½ c. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup raisins
• ½ cup pitted dates
• ¾ c. water
• 3 Safest Choice TM Eggs
• 2 T coconut oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease an 8” round cake pan.
Mix together almond meal, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
In a blender, food processor, or an immersion blender, blend the raisins, dates, and water until smooth.
Add the eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla to the blended mixture and mix until smooth.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Pour batter into greased cake pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 10-15 minutes.

• Calories: 376
• Fat calories: 201
• Sodium: 2651mg
• Potassium: 699mg
• Dietary Fiber: 4g

• Calories: 145
• Fat calories: 43
• Sodium: 25mg
• Potassium: 235mg
• Dietary Fiber: 3g

• Calories: 306
• Fat calories: 111
• Sodium: 124mg
• Potassium: 213mg
• Dietary Fiber: 4g

• Calories: 135
• Fat calories: 63
• Sodium: 75mg
• Potassium: 200mg
• Dietary Fiber: 2g

• Calories: 178
• Fat calories: 108
• Sodium: 41mg
• Potassium: 117mg
• Dietary Fiber: 0g

• Calories: 231
• Fat calories: 54
• Sodium: 31mg
• Potassium: 746mg
• Dietary Fiber: 16g

• Have guests ask for bread
• Fill “bread basket” with flatbread, crackers, smaller bread pieces
• Serve white-bean dip or combo spreads instead of butter or olive oil
• Serve vegetables and dip to start

• Don’t restrict foods. Change the dining environment
• We can entice our clients and consumers to eat more nutrient dense foods without having them compromise on taste and appeal.
• While talking to clients it is important to:
 Apply the principles of Seductive Nutrition when encouraging healthy eating…..
• Take a favourite dish/meal
• Suggest small changes to enhance nutrition and make it
“slightly healthier”
• Win-Win outcome: improvements in overall flavour, appeal and nutrient content

The choices we make are shaped by the choices we have. Make dishes slightly healthier and just as appealing and everyone wins.