More diners are seeking nutritious and health-based menu choices, and chefs and operators are paying attention. Gluten-free meals now top the list.

The National Restaurant Association's (NRA) 2013 What's Hot Chef Survey identified health and nutrition as a top food trend driving consumer demand this year. Specific claims, such as gluten-free and whole grain, continue to rank high in interest among chefs and operators. To support your menuing efforts, USA Rice Federation highlights on-trend recipes that are sure to appeal to diners' interests and taste buds.

Foodservice research and consulting firm Technomic predicts vegetarian dishes, fast casual global concepts, and grains may significantly impact the restaurant industry this year. Available in numerous varieties, see how U.S.-grown rice can help meet these trends and more.

Consumers are more aware of the countless global cuisines available to them and are also becoming more interested in the regional specialties that define American cuisine, according to research company Mintel's Menu Insights report.

According to foodservice research and consulting firm Technomic, going back to the basics is central to meeting consumers' away-from-home eating demands. Read suggestions on how rice's versatility is right for your operation's needs.

Nutritionally balanced kids' meals are the top "hot trend" in the National Restaurant Association's (NRA) annual survey of 1,800 professional chefs for the upcoming year.

Foodservice Director's Menu Development Study finds that Asian is "in", Mediterranean has staying power, and Thai, Caribbean and Cuban will be making their way onto more non-commercial menus in months to come.

According to the research company, operators are now tasked with balancing federal regulations with the differing demands of customers due to the recent healthcare bill that requires restaurants with 20+ units to list calorie counts on the menu.

Chicago-based market research firm Technomic highlights foodservice trends for 2011, and farmers are predicted to be the new food celebrity.

The annual National Restaurant Association (NRA) survey of more than 1,500 American Culinary Federation chefs says what culinary items will be a "hot trend," "yesterday's news," or "perennial favorite" in 2011. Whole grain brown rice, wild rice, black japonica and red rice top the list of favorites!

USA Rice Federation recently conducted an Attitude & Usage Study among 500 chefs and operators to learn more about rice's role in foodservice. Results showed that rice is positively perceived as an important ingredient, with more than half of foodservice professionals reporting increasing their usage of rice in the past year and the majority intending to increase usage in the coming year.

In the three dining halls at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, David May, assistant vice president of business affairs, operates 12 display cooking stations...

A new study suggests that school-based intervention can curb development of overweight students in grades 4 through 6.

At college campuses with a Sandella’s Flatbread unit, students with a yen for a quick, healthy and tasty meal often pick Sandella’s Rice Bowls...

Ethnic menu items continue to gain popularity among noncommercial foodservice operators, according to FoodService Director’s 2008 Menu Development Survey.

What do you get when you combine an Argentine entrepreneur, an Italian recipe and an organically grown American grain? You get the wildly popular Risotto of the Day ...

Rice dishes are versatile performers at University of New Hampshire, satisfying the large contingent of diet-conscious students as well as the many for ...

Students will choose healthier lunch options, a new study from the University of Minnesota has found.

Study conducted with operators in the non-commercial segments of business & industry, colleges & universities, K-12 schools and hospitals...

Rice is both a side dish and the foundation of menu items at Pollo Campero, the Guatemalan fast-food chain that has brought zesty Latin American fried chicken as far as Chicago and Shanghai.

While most operators have a fairly easy time procuring local, seasonal product in spring, summer and fall, it’s a challenge in the winter.

At California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, the Poly Fresh Market is the latest entry into the campus’s Green Campaign, which began more than a year ago.

Star Chefs’ Pastry Trends 2007 Report reveals that a sizeable percentage of pastry chefs source ingredients from within a 50-mile radius.

For an example of how to eat healthfully, simply and well every day, look to Vietnam for inspiration, says Mai Pham, chef-owner of Lemon Grass Restaurant in Sacramento, California.

Holly Freishtat, a food & society policy fellow and media coordinator for Health Care Without Harm, an organization that promotes environmentally responsible...