Recommendations for restaurants
The Spanish partners have created their recommendations based on the typical Spanish cuisine and Mediterranean cultural habits. One of their main aims is to encourage a reduction in the consumption of meat, as most employees tend to have meat with their lunch. The recommendations to the employees are based on the principles of the Mediterranean diet. Employees are encouraged to consume more fruit and vegetables and use olive oil rather than fats from animal origin in their diet.
Only seven recommendations have been formed for restaurants, the fewest out of the six countries, potentially making this an easy target for the Spanish restaurants. Only the first recommendation (the common one) is to do with cooking methods. The others are mainly to do with the way the food is served and presented to the customers. This should make it easier for restaurateurs to apply the recommendations.
- At least a third of first course dishes should be based on vegetables.
- Vegetables should be offered as a garnish on second course dishes.
- There should be a minimum of one fish dish option for the second course. There should be a minimum of one white meat option (chicken, turkey, rabbit etc.) or an eggs option for the second course. These options should be prepared without meat products (such as sausages or bacon).
- At least one of every three dessert options should be fresh fruit (whole or prepared, for example, fruit salad).
- At least twice a week, a first course dish of legumes should be offered, cooked mainly with food of plant origin (for example, vegetables or rice).
- Culinary preparations should be included that do not require the addition of a large amount of fat (cream, lard, margarine, butter or a large quantity of oil) and food cooking techniques should be used such as steaming, baking, grilling, sautéing, griddling, etc.
- Virgin olive oil should be offered for the dressings.
- Wholemeal bread should be offered as an alternative to white bread.
- When the diners sit down, they should be offered a jug of water on the tables. Salt cellars should not be within the reach of customers, they should be offered only when requested.
- There should be the following options:
- the traditional menu;
- the option to choose two first courses (and dessert);
- the option to choose a half menu: one plate chosen from the first and second course dishes (and dessert); or whole menus based on half portions.
Criteria to respect in order to be part of the FOOD restaurants’ network
Following the creation of the FOOD recommendations for restaurants, a network of restaurants respecting a certain number of recommendations was created.
In Spain, restaurants have to apply 6 out of the 12 recommendations in order to be part to the FOOD restaurants network.
To see the map of the entire network of FOOD restaurants, click here