VIEWPOINTThe National Newsletter of the Premier Foodservice Program

Special Issue 1-2, 2016

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2 What our members are doing... - Going Greek at Avera - Yales Vegetable ‘Seduction’ Takes a Flavorable Approach to Healthier Dining

3 Geisinger Gets Fresh with Warm Weather Farmers Markets

4 What the experts are saying...

4 What we’re doing...

5 Mrs. Dash at the Heart of Cooking Program

6 A Deep Bench of Resources: Premier’s Choice 365 Program Expands

FEATURE ARTICLES

7 What our vendors are doing... - Good for You, Good for the Planet: The Barilla Way - JENNIE-O Urges Premier Members to Start Talking Turkey - Lowering the Sodium, Not the Flavor, At Minor’s

9 What our vendors are doing... - It’s Time to Dive into Seafood

- Chicken of the Sea: What You Should Know about Mercury

11 Optifast Offers Medically-Based Solution to Obesity

12 Managing Millenials, Holding Down Food Costs, Improving Your Community’s Health: It’s All in a Day’s Work for Premier’s Foodservice Members

15 At the Top of the Plate in 2016

16 Be Fruitful: Premier’s New Smoothies Concept Offers the Perfect Blend of Healthy–Trendy–Profitable–Delicious

11 Healthy Shakes, Sprinkles and Rubs

2 Susan DeVore, Premier President and CEO, in the Wall Street Journal

10 Commodity Update

8 Think excellence, and get ready to nominate a peer for Premier’s top award

8 Roll Up Your Sleeves and Cook Up a Winner by April 1!

12 Premier Winter Regional Foodservice Meeting Agenda

13 Premier’s Regional Meetings... Winter 2016

IN THE NEWS

COMING UP

CMA SPOTLIGHT

As Premier members, improving the health of our communities has always

been our overarching goal, the most im-portant answer to our ‘why’ as an organi-zation. With the link from healthy eating to a healthy life growing stronger and more persuasive each year, members of the Foodservice program are finding their roles evolving from food preparers to stewards of community wellness.

Every new study, research finding and practice initiative supports the belief that food not only fuels the body, but can prevent the most lethal diseases of our time. Common forms of cancers, cardiovascular disease and diabetes are all potentially preventable

with changes in diet and lifestyle, which gives much urgency to our mission. We’ve made extraordinary progress in just the last few years - our members are reaching out and connecting to their customers with farmer’s markets, healthy cooking demonstrations, wellness seminars, healthy grocery store shopping tours, and to their own chefs with ongoing training and education. In this Viewpoint, we look at how members, vendors, our distributor, US Foods, and Premier experts are sparking quiet revolutions both inside institutional walls and out in the heart of the community. Similar to sustainability initiatives profiled in the last issue, this represents a snapshot, and not the entire picture…let’s fill that in together in every edition to come. This is one conversation we never want to stop having! – Joan Ralph

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Key health and wellness initiatives are already underway, and many more are in the planning stages, according to the results of our member survey conducted recently at regional meetings across the country. Here’s what you shared:nAlmost half of respondents offer a wellness meal for lunch or dinner at retail operations nInitiatives accomplished most frequently are encouraging consumption of fruits and vegetables, offering healthier beverages and meatless options, and removing the fryers. nAlmost 70% of survey respondents are working on waste reduction, another 50% are planning programs to encourage increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and offer gluten-free items, convert from processed to whole grains, and purchase from local sources.nAnd there’s more to come, as members say they are considering: offering nutrition and cooking classes to employees and the community, holding food demos in the cafeteria and dining hall, composting food waste, adding healthier beverages, and scheduling weight management classes for employees.

Going Greek at Avera

N ational Nutrition Month and healthy cooking demos are a perfect match, and at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, weeks of planning

make it happen. Once the recipes are identified, research finalized on the food’s healthy attributes, and ingredients purchased, promo-tion begins. Avera’s Director of Nutrition Services Karen Klinkner and staff create posters to post prominently in the dining area, write a news release for local media encouraging residents to attend, and send invitations to members of hospital support groups for diabetics and others. Recipe handouts are also developed for attendees to take home, and on presentation day, enough food is prepared to allow for sampling. All came together beautifully for a recent foray into Mediterranean cooking which drew dozens of people from Mitchell, SD area eager to learn the lessons of the centuries-old, heart-healthy diet, according to Klinkner. “The feedback was very

positive,” she reports, “everyone loved the food. It gave us a won-derful opportunity to promote the basics of the Mediterranean diet, which we recommend not only to our cardiac patients, but for over-all health.” The focus on primarily plant-based foods, fish, healthy fats, herbs and spices, regular exercise and the occasional glass of red wine has long been encouraged by nutritional experts as a way to prevent major chronic diseases. On Klinkner’s healthy plate: a seafood medley replete with vegetables and either whole wheat pasta or whole grain rice, rainbow fruit salad with honey-orange sauce, and a dessert of Greek-style yogurt with honey and toasted walnuts.

Yale’s Vegetable ‘Seduction’ Takes a Flavorful Approach to Healthier Dining

W hat are some of the smartest students in America eating right now? At Yale University, a cleverly marketed focus on more

plant-based foods and less animal protein is placing vegetables of every variety, flavor, color and texture at the center of their plates now, and guiding them toward a healthier future. The ‘more this, less that’ campaign developed by Chef Ron DeSantis, Director of Culinary Excellence, and his staff blends whimsy, facts and emotion into a spot-on message that resonates with his young, savvy diners. An ear of corn labeled ‘tall, lean, good listener,’ a sweet potato described as ‘fun, sweet, grounded’ catches the eye of the Tinder crowd, while a poster featuring a pig asking ‘No joking, wouldn’t you be much happier enjoying roasted eggplant roasted potatoes or maybe a nice roast vegetable medley? Me too!’ tugs at the vegan instincts of the Millennials. The culinary team supports the message by serving up a daily trio of vegetable and grain-based compound salads in an appealing format for budding foodies, such as roasted beets with gorgonzola, kale and walnuts; shaved Brussels sprouts with mustard vinaigrette, cashews and pomegranate seeds; and quinoa, sweet potato and green garbanzo beans with pumpkin seeds and lime-cilantro vinaigrette.

(continued on page 3)

Arecent editorial by Premier President and CEO Susan DeVore in the Wall Street Journal eloquently expresses the need to

integrate healthy food initiatives within our health-care delivery system. “As a nation, Americans don’t eat very well. Our diet is filled with processed foods high in saturated fat, salt and sugars, with low intakes of whole grains, vegetables and fruits. As a result, researchers estimate that 14% of all U.S. deaths can be attributed to poor diet, with an economic impact of $71 billion a year in medical expenses and lost productivity,” writes DeVore. She notes that low-income families are disproportionately affected, with lack of nutrition education and no ready access to fresh fruits and vegetables making healthy living a struggle. DeVore cites

promising developments, including changes in reimbursement that incentivize lower cost, preventive interventions in caring for a population’s health. She also mentions health systems such as Virginia’s Carilion Clinic, with its “Fruit and Vegetables prescrip-tion program” that provides the underserved with food to pick up free of charge at its medical centers, and Harris Health’s traveling farmer’s market that serves 11 different health centers each week. DeVore concludes: “While numerous public and private agencies have tried to edu-cate people about the benefits of good nutrition, Americans still struggle with it. Perhaps we can live a little longer, stay out of the hospital and lower health-care costs at the same time.”

What our members are doing...

IN THE NEWS

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Yale’s Vegetable ‘Seduction’ Takes a Flavorful Approach to Healthier Dining(continued from page 2)

A full 75 percent of Yale’s menu is now plant-based, earning Yale recognition as a collegiate leader in vegan food offerings by peta2, the well-known animal rights organization. The group awarded Yale an A+, noting their 96 percent student satisfaction rate, and placing them on the Dean’s List as “part of the vanguard when it comes to vegan cuisine on campus.”

Says DeSantis: “We are committed to providing a nurturing environment and helping to build a community by menuing well-designed stealth health food. By educating students about food, humane treatment of animals, resiliency of our food supply, origin of food, we’re helping them to make smart food choices.”

Providing training for his own culinary team is also a top priority for DeSantis. The Flavor Dynamics Workshop held this January drew in not only his staff, but other teams at local colleges and universi-ties. The day-long event featured presentations from experts, who

explored future trends in flavors and ingredients with an eye toward helping professionals enhance their culinary techniques and design forward-thinking menus. US Foods Executive Chef Bill Brooks led a hands-on session focused on new or underutilized ingredients…with ample time for tastings.

Geisinger Gets Fresh with Warm Weather Farmer’s MarketsAt Geisinger, community wellness takes on

a fresh focus every summer and fall with farmer’s markets, replete with the seasons’ bounty, at 10 locations throughout the sys-tem’s network of hospitals. What began as an offering for employees only at one of the nation’s largest health service organizations (Geisinger’s 30,000 employees serve more than 3 million residents in Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey) was opened up to the community two years ago. A collaborative effort of the health system’s Foodservices, Clinical Nutrition, Sustainability Program, and Geisinger Wellness, these mega-popular events now draw up to 250 people at each location weekly, including residents’ children and grandchildren. There they enjoy cook-ing demonstrations, opportunities to learn about, prepare and purchase the seasonal produce, and receive recipe cards and nutrition information sheets to take home. Geisinger dietitians, chefs and foodservice specialists are always at hand to explain the best ways to prepare the produce.

“With so many in our community suffering from chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, we feel it’s our mission to not only educate people on the subject of better lifestyle choices, but to also make those choices easy—and fun. Our Get Fresh Markets do just that,” says Diane Harlow,

Director, Geisinger Wellness. At each market, a different type of

produce is highlighted in the foodservice daily menus and displayed for purchase. Getting their turn in the spotlight in 2015: mushrooms, bulb vegetables, potatoes, strawberries, blueberries, lettuce, cherries, corn, beans, melons, tomatoes, stone fruit, peppers, apples, squash, pears and pumpkin.

The team ensures everyone leaves sat-isfied by preparing a minimum of six special dishes for sampling at the cooking demos. “That way, if someone in the family doesn’t like one option, there are other possibilities,” explains Harlow. For instance, a June event featured a Portobello and asparagus salad, superslaw, and angel food cake with berry sauce. The dishes are also featured as

specials in the cafeteria.“It’s all about supporting a culture of

health and wellness in our communities,” says Harlow.

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Menus of Change (MOC), a prestigious collaboration between the Culinary Institute of America (the ‘other’ CIA) and the Harvard

T.H. Chan School of Public Health, states a lofty ambition: to create a long-term, practical vision for the integration of optimal nutrition and public health, environmental stewardship and restoration, and social responsibility concerns within the foodservice sector and beyond. To that end, MOC created for chefs and foodservice leaders the principles of healthy, sustainable menus, along with proven business strategies to sell sometimes skeptical customers on its inherent value. Combining the movements that have been shaping the industry for the past decade, the MOC focuses on:nWell-vetted nutritional standards: Reduced intake of fats, sugars, salt, increases in whole fruits, vegetables and grains, smaller portions, and a fundamental emphasis on food quality, not just quantity.nSustainability initiatives: Antibiotic-free meats, water conservation, local and regional food purchasing, plant forward menus, more traceability in the food supply chain.

Research firms Technomic and Datessentials have been tracking diners’ changing attitudes toward health and wellness for years, and their recent intelligence reveals a number of interesting points. nConsumers are likely to believe a particular food or beverage tastes better or worse depending on how it’s described, according to Technomic. Words and phrases such as ‘homemade,’ ‘premium,’ ‘real,’ and ‘from scratch’ indicate the food tastes better. Corre-spondingly, words that emphasize what has been removed from an item, including ‘low sugar,’ ‘low sodium,’ ‘fat free,’ and ‘gluten free’ may signal to consumers that the product will taste worse.nDatessentials provides insights on the trend cycle for health and wellness concepts: o On the cusp of acceptance: Alternative oils, paleo, farm to table, cage freeo Fully adopted: local, high protein, antioxidant, sustainable, free range, grass fed, milk fed, antibiotic free, farm raised, vegan, hormone free, heart healthy, ancient grains, health boostso Proliferating: gluten free, organic, seasonal, super foods, all naturalo Ubiquitous: whole grain, steamed, light, low carb, grilled, cholesterol free, sugar free, vegetarian, low calorie, low fat, fat free, trans fat free, multi grain

What the experts are saying...

US Foods Delivers on the Promise of Nourish

The 2015 debut of US Foods’ Nourish line was a milestone in its commitment to Premier, providing 11 healthy innovations exclu-

sively for members. Each product met the healthiest of standards, with stripped-down sodium, fat, additives and no trace of MSG, artificial trans fats, colors, dyes or high fructose corn syrup. The clean, fresh, organic, and completely delicious ingredients won over foodservice directors at hospitals, colleges and universities, senior living facilities, and at West Point, thousands of the nation’s cadets.

“Our cadets, 18 to 22 years old, are much more sophisticated about food than they were in the past, and have a real interest in healthy options,” says John Fitzsimmons, Foodservice Officer, Cadet Mess, West Point. “With Nourish, an operator can tailor and high-light things like clean label, made naturally, without additives.

In the first few months after Nourish launched, Fitzsimmons purchased a thousand cases of product, including ‘naked’ chick-en strips (no breading, coating or seasoning), which proved so successful they’re now part of the regular menu. “We use it for chicken soup, pot pie and especially on the salad bar – our cadets love loading up this protein with the fresh vegetables and dressing.” Also making rank: kale pesto sauce (“this was much easier to use than other types of pesto”), Greek yogurt cream cheese, quinoa

grain with brown rice (“we want to open the quinoa door with this, and use it as a hot breakfast cereal”) and the super food salad. Being considered is the Nourish stir fry sauce and gravy mixes. For Fitzsimmons, the versatility of Nourish products is one of the key selling points.

“My customers are with us for 47 months, and all eat in the same dining room every day. It’s important to have variations on a product that allows us to provide a menu that makes them feel like they’re getting something different each time,” says Fitzsimmons. “They’re looking for a filling, tasty meal, but one with a healthier profile.” He attributes their heightened awareness to having grown up during the revamp of the child nutrition program in the nation’s schools. “Many issues were raised, and eliminating junk food and excess sugar and salt was a real focus. Now they clearly recognize when they’re being served a worthwhile, nutritious meal, prepared with ingredients they know and like.”

What we’re doing...

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Mrs. Dash at the Heart of a Display Cooking Program

N ew from Premier is a creative solution to one of the most difficult skills for patients,

employees and the community members to learn – how to cook with less salt yet create flavorful dishes. A display cooking program created by Premier and Mrs. Dash, the coun-try’s leading salt substitute, provides a turn-key class for a dietitian or chef to deliver to employees and the community on the art of low-sodium cooking. Available free of charge to Premier members, the module contains everything needed to run a high impact class – 10 to 15 slides, recipes, equipment list, handouts for participants, and illustrations of the most effective design for a display cooking station.

“Teaching a class on the benefits of low sodium recipes can be effective, but a cooking demo even more so. Incorporating the smells, tastes and sights of the healthy food choices really enhances the learning,” says Debby Kasper, RDN, LDN, Director of Wellness Program Development.

The module is highly customizable, enabling Premier members to choose from multiple recipes and add their facility logos to handouts. The recipes can also be used in cafeterias at a healthy cooking display station.“It’s a different approach,” says Martin Paine, corporate executive chef for Mrs. Dash. He began his research by scrutinizing labels of grocery store products for low sodium amounts to create easy-to-follow recipes.

“I paired the low sodium products with Mrs. Dash to offer a tasty but healthier option that people would be delighted to make and eat at home.”

All concepts pass the taste test with fly-ing colors, and the preparation is wonderfully uncomplicated. A sprinkle of Mrs. Dash with herbs in mayonnaise yields an aioli spread, the new jalapeno spice on cranberry sauce kicks up the flavor on the condiment and the turkey, and roasting a salt-free peanut with a bit of Mrs. Dash results in a deliciously simple and satisfying snack.

“People are starting to really take note of the ingredients in packaged goods and read the nutritional information on menu boards,” says Paine. “Many of the less expensive products list sodium as the first or second ingredient. This makes it imperative that man-ufacturing companies step up to the plate.”

Tina Banning, Nutrition Services Manager at Kettering Health Network in Ohio, says: “We were looking to start a program to help reduce readmissions among our cardiac patients, making this an ideal fit. But it’s not just a Kettering Health issue, it’s a nationwide concern. This a great partnership, at the right time.”

Take a look at just how deliciously easy low-sodium cooking can be with some of these recipes created by Premier and Mrs. Dash.

“This is just the beginning,” promises Kasper. “Development of additional modules is already underway.”

Fiesta Lime Taco with Ground Turkey

1 lb. Ground Turkey½ cup Water3 tbsp. Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime Seasoning½ head Shredded Lettuce1 cup Diced Tomato½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese½ cup Mrs. Dash Sour Cream6 Taco Shells

1. Brown ground turkey in a hot skillet, add water and Mrs. Dash seasoning.2. Simmer until almost dry, spoon taco meat equally into 6 taco shells. 3. Garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. 4. Add sour cream (optional)

Baked White Fish with Spicy Mango Salsa and Aioli Drizzle1½ lbs. Tilapia Fillets2 tbsp. Garlic ButterAioli Mayonnaise Spicy Mango SalsaCooking Spray1. Preheat oven to broil, spray baking sheet. 2. Place fish on the baking sheet and broil 5-6 minutes until fish is opaque and separates easily. 3. Place a knob of garlic butter on the fish and drizzle with Aioli mayonnaise. 4. Serve with a garnish of spicy mango.

Pan fry option; preheat 3 tbsp. oil in a sauté pan. Cook the fish 3-5 minutes each side until fish separates easily.

Breakfast Burrito1 lb. Turkey Sausage1 lb. Diced Sweet Potatoes1 tbsp. Canola Oil8 Eggs, Whipped1 tbsp. Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning1c. Shredded Monterey Jack cheeseFlour Tortillas1. Coat sauté pan with oil and cook turkey sausage and diced sweet potatoes until brown.2. Add egg mixture, and carry on cooking over a low heat until done.3. Blend in the Mrs. Dash seasoning.4. Place tortillas on cutting board and place 1 cup turkey mix in the center of the tortilla.5. Sprinkle with 1/4c cheese, and fold.6. Serve with low sodium salsa (optional).

What we’re doing...

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Since its debut five years ago, Premier’s Choice 365 program has continued to

stoke its portfolio of information and tools to help members implement robust health and wellness programs in their communities. Spurred by ongoing studies that pointed to the never ending rise of chronic diseases in the U.S., and the effectiveness of commu-nity-based prevention programs and direct medical care in delaying or preventing them, the vision of Choice 365 has never been clearer.

“Premier healthcare members are uniquely positioned to conduct wellness programs for their own employees, the community, local businesses, agencies and schools. By conducting and coordinating nutrition programs, healthcare costs of a community can be significantly reduced,” said Joan Ralph, vice president, continuum of care, Premier.

Choice 365 arms members with a ready arsenal of tools - presentations, research, handouts, instructor’s guides, reading lists and menus – that are completely free, and accessible via the Premier website at https://premierconnect.premierinc.com.

The expanded list is below, and you’ll find knowledgeable advice on how to best use them at Choice 365 webinars, sched-uled this April and May. We’ll also introduce our latest offering, Lower Sodium cooking modules. Listen in for step-by-step instruc-tions on how to conduct a cooking demo, and turn participants into champions for lower sodium cooking.

To register, click on one of the links below.April 29th, 11 am CST https://cc.callinfo.com/r/1ew3if3wfcomm&eom

May 3rd, 2 pm CST https://cc.callinfo.com/r/17jefuqksn71z&eom

Community Education Tools Power Point Presentations (with script) on

various nutrition related topics. These half hour presentations can be used for commu-nity presentations, lunch and learns, etc. nThe Healthy Plate to Control Your

Weight nExercise for Weight Management nRestaurant Survival nHealthy Holiday Eating nChanging Behavior nSeven Session Adult Weight Loss

Program including Power Point Presentations, Handouts, Instructor Manual

Hot Topic Sheets that can be used as resources for dietitians writing an article, handouts or web postings, or as a quick source of information when being inter-viewed by the media, etc. nBrown Bag Lunches nCaffeine nEnergy Drinks nFood Safety Recommended Reading Lists that can

be used at health fairs, waiting rooms, doctors waiting areas. nFamily Nutrition nDiabetes nWeight Control nGood Nutrition

Foodservice Tools nFour week cycle Premier menu that

can be used in many foodservice venues including hospitals, nursing homes, etc. Recipes and nutritionals provided. nConcepts by Premier, designed to

increase revenue and customer satisfaction. A Healthy Offering (Fresh ‘N Fit) is included in many of the concepts.

o Smoothies

o Pizza o Market Fresh Deli o Que o PFK o Flatbreads o Fresco Grill

Gluten Free Contracts, information and tools to offer and serve gluten-free food choices. nInstruction material nColor-coded supplies and equipment nContracts - Product listings of

gluten-free items on contract. nGluten-free recipes

Culinary Education for Foodservice Employees nPremier Culinary Clinics Two day

hands-on culinary training led by corporate chefs. Members learn how to use CMA products in unique upscale ways. It helps them bring out their creative side to create different and flavorful recipes. Topics vary by location.

K – 12 Offerings nThirteen handouts that can be sent

home with the students to promote a healthy home. nCHOICE 365 robots, fun and colorful

characters that help carry the message of healthy food choices throughout the school cafeteria.

A Deep Bench of Resources: Premier’s Choice 365 Program Expands

Lifestyle changes in nutrition and activity reduced the incidence of type 2 diabetes by 58% compared to only

31% as a result of drug therapy.

For every $1 spent in wellness programs, companies would save about $3.27 in medical costs and

$2.73 in absenteeism costs.

What we’re doing...

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Good for You, Good for the Planet: The Barilla Way By: Holly Henman, Brand Manager, Foodservice, Barilla America

More than a tagline or catchphrase, “Good For You, Good for the Planet” for Barilla is a guiding principle and reference point for

every product we produce, and how we evaluate our impact on the planet and the communities we interact with.

It starts with a pyramid – actually, two of them. As an Italian company, we have always followed the principles of the Mediterra-nean diet and food pyramid, and increasingly look to make products that conform to its nutritional principles.

Our think tank, the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition, undertook some groundbreaking research to examine the environmental impact of the foods in the food pyramid, and made an important discovery: the very foods at the base of the Mediterranean diet pyramid – e.g. vegetables, grains, legumes – are also those that are the least harm-ful to the environment.

Starting in 2010, we measured our environmental impact of our pasta using a total lifecycle assessment; calculating the carbon footprint, water footprint, and ecological (land area) footprint at every stage from growing the wheat to the time it’s cooked for the table. We use this data to help us make improvements all the way through the supply chain, and set concrete goals to lessen our impact.

Here are some results to date from 2010 to 2014: 20% reduction in CO2 emissions and 20% reduction in water use per ton of product while increasing production volumes by 3%

Increased use of recyclable packaging from 85% to 96% across our portfolio

Despite these gains, we are not content with progress alone, and have set even larger goals for 2020, to continue reducing our footprint on the planet and promoting wholesome and joyful food habits…even as our business grows.

Did you know:Barilla promotes sustainable farming techniques encouraging our farmers to use a prescribed set of 10 simple (and often ancient) techniques and farming principles like proper crop rotation instead of resource-intensive methods. Following our guidelines, durum wheat farmers have reduced their C02 footprint by 40%, production costs by 30%, and increased yield by 20%.

100% of the durum wheat for our pasta made in North America is grown locally, which translates to less transportation cost and carbon footprint.

What our vendors are doing…

JENNIE-O Urges Premier Members to Start Talking TurkeyThe newest program from JENNIE-O® is

a boon for healthy eating choices – the Turkey Takeover, a special dining event where turkey is featured throughout the menu, bringing the taste, versatility, enviable nutri-tionals (lower in fat than beef or pork) and customer appeal of the popular poultry to the forefront. As Premier’s exclusive CMA for the turkey category, Jennie-O’s Ron Tipton assures “an incredible variety of turkey products that you can menu all day. From turkey breakfast meats in the morning, to turkey burgers for lunch, to creative dinner applications, JENNIE-O® turkey is a wonderful replacement for ground beef and it’s a great protein base in ethnic options.” An added plus: Millennials are tuned into turkey, with more than 50 percent saying they would be likely to order a turkey option at a casual restaurant (source: Who Eats the Meats?

A Guide to the Modern. US. Lean Protein Eaters, March, 2015).

JENNIE-O provides these tools for Premier members looking to host a Turkey Takeover at their facility:nOnline Menu Maximizer to calculate nutrition and cost benefits of using JENNIE-O® turkeynDelicious, tested recipes created by other Premier membersnColorful merchandising materials for the event

– Counter cards– Table tents– Handouts highlighting the benefits of

turkey– Promotional flyers and posters – Comment cards– JENNIE-O overview and retail coupons

One additional incentive that will get everyone clucking: Submit pictures and feed-back from your Turkey Takeover event for a chance to win free turkey for your operation. Visit www.TurkeyTakeover.com for details.

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Have You Entered Our 2016 Culinary Creations Contest? Roll Up Your Sleeves and Cook Up a Winner by April 1!

Take part in this amazing opportunity for you to dazzle fellow members with your

recipe creativity. If your Healthy Center of the Plate recipe is selected as a finalist, we’ll provide transportation to the nation’s capitol to preview your dish at the ever-elegant Culinary Creations dinner at Breakthroughs. Ground rules follow:nA recipe that includes an entree with no more than one side. nThe garnish will not count as the side. For example:ACCEPTABLE - Mediterranean seafood and pasta, teriyaki chicken and couscous, Greek salad with shrimp.

NOT ACCEPTABLE - Mediterranean seafood and pasta with parmesan pita crisps (2 sides), teriyaki chicken with couscous and grilled vegetables (2 sides).

nThe cost of each portion should not exceed $2.75 including garnish. nRecipe criteria include: one portion (including the side) should have less

than or equal to 500 calories, 17 grams of fat, and 600 mg of sodium. nRecipes will be judged on originality and creativity, appearance (using a color

photo that is submitted along with the recipe), ease of production and service, use of at least one CMA, HAACP principles included in the recipe nBonus points for including a short (no more than 3 sentences) explanation of your dish’s healthy flair.nSubmissions must be received by April 1, 2016.

Four finalists will be selected to attend the 2016 Foodservice Forum in Washington DC – where their dishes will be prepared by the hotel, and sampled and voted on by Premier members at the Culinary Dinner. The winner will receive the coveted Culinary Cup. Healthy, delicious, creative…you could have a winner! For questions regarding recipe submission, contact chris_schude@premierinc.com. Questions regarding the contest, contact debby_kasper@premierinc.com.

Think excellence, and get ready to nominate a peer for Premier’s top awardDo you work with an operator who

demonstrates exceptional leadership in our industry, day after day, year after year? Perhaps they’ve orchestrated significant operational improvements, achieved a dramatic increase in satis-faction scores, extensively supported the values and mission of your organization…or all of the above. Tell us, by filling out a nomination for Premier’s Illuminating Excellence award.

A separate category dedicated exclu-sively to nutrition professionals debuts this year. “Since all our members are committed to helping enhance the health and wellness of the communities they serve, foodservice professionals and clin-ical dietitians are in a position to make a uniquely important contribution…and we want to recognize the members in our alliance who continually lead the way,”

says Debby Kasper, Director of Clinical Nutrition and Wellness Program Development for Premier. This can include inpatient, outpatient, or community nutrition programs. Include concrete examples such as patient outcomes, providing evidence based practice, expansion of nutrition services, provision of quality care, contribution to building healthier communities and linking nutrition care across the continuum.

Luminaries from Acute Care, Continuum of Care, Education and Nutrition will shine brightly at the 2016 Foodservice Forum in Washington DC. Nominations for all four categories are due by March 25, 2016. Contact Chris Schude at chris_schude@premierinc.com with questions and requests for nomina-tion forms.

Lowering the Sodium, Not the Flavor, At Minor’sThe Minor’s line from Nestle Professional offers uniquely flavorful concentrates in a variety of bold tastes: fire-roasted pablano, ancho, chipotle, cilantro lime, Herb de Provence, red chile adobo, roasted garlic, roasted mirepoix, sun dried tomato pesto. All have sodium content ranging from 140 to 195 mg.

The company also created this useful Plus-One Ingredient Matrix to help operators prepare flavorful dishes and keep sodium in check. Start with 4 tablespoon of Minor’s low-sodium chicken base and one gallon of water, and choose from one of the following:

Sodium Ingredient Content per CupBalsamic Vinegar ¼ cup 130 mgDried Shiitake 130 mg Mushrooms 1 cup Green Tea 6 pouches 130 mgKombu 4, 4” pieces 175 mgLiquid Smoke ½ tsp 130 mgTomato Paste 1 cup 140 mg

What our vendors are doing...

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It’s Time to Dive into Seafood!By: Laura Ali, MS, RDN, LDN, Senior Manager of Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs, StarKist Co.

Americans are looking more closely at the foods they eat and many

are striving to find more healthy options. In 2012, the Economic Research Service of the USDA esti-mated that over 43% of American’s food spending was on food eaten away from home.1

While the profile of who is eating away from home the most is chang-ing, all have the same goals in mind: healthy, delicious food. According to the National Restaurant Association survey in 2013 70% of consumers are more likely to visit restaurants that offer healthier options.2

Seafood is an important part of a healthy diet. It is an excellent source of lean, high quality protein which makes it perfect for main dish or appetizer menu items. Many types of seafood are rich in B vitamins, vitamin D, and selenium while being low in saturated fat and a natural source of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Heart Association recommend all Americans eat 2 -3 servings of seafood a week to get the heart protective benefits. The Omega-3 fatty acids in seafood seem to reduce inflammation, helps manage blood pressure, triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Research has shown that people who follow the Mediterranean style diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and seafood, have lower rates of heart dis-ease, diabetes, certain types of cancer and may support brain health.

Even women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are encouraged to eat 2-3 servings (8-12 ounces) a week of a variety of seafood, including salmon, canned light tuna and shellfish. Studies show there are significant health benefits to eating seafood and that the DHA omega-3 fatty acids, which are naturally found in seafood, are vital for infants’ brain and eye development, making it crucial that expecting and breastfeeding mothers get enough of this important nutrient.

While Americans may be starting to understand the health benefits of a diet rich in seafood, according to the National Fisheries Institute, seafood consumption has dropped 14% from 2006 to 2012 and is at its lowest since 1990.3 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-tration estimates that Americans eat an average of one serving of seafood a week which is far less than current recommendations.4

The reasons for this are varied but many consumers suggest they are hesitant to prepare seafood in their own homes, or don’t feel comfortable buying it. This gives food service operators an added advantage. A recent trend survey of chefs by the National Restaurant Association named seafood in 3 of the top 5 main dish trends so it makes sense to take another look at adding additional seafood dishes to menus.5

Offering a variety of seafood options on your menus using today’s trendy flavors may entice consumers to find new ways to enjoy seafood and supports American’s focus on improving health and wellbeing. Consider adding a seafood bruschetta platter or tuna sliders to your menu or a hearty seafood stew on your winter menu board. Seafood topped salads can be a popular lunch item and grilled salmon, tuna or halibut fillet is always a good choice for dinner menus. The options are endless so be creative and take a dive into seafood this fall!1 http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-choices-health/food-consumption- demand/food-away-from-home.aspx

2 National Restaurant Association, National Household Survey, 2013

3 https://www.aboutseafood.com/about/about-seafood/statistics/all-statistics

4 http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/faqs/faq_seafood_ health.htm-l#6how

5 National Restaurant Association, What’s hot in 2014 chef survey. http://www.restaurant.org/Downloads/PDFs/News-Research/ WhatsHot2015-Results.pdf

Chicken of the Sea: What You Should Know about MercuryBy: Lynzee Moore, Foodservice Field Brand Manager, Chicken of the Sea International

Leading health authorities, including the American Heart Association, USDA Dietary

Guidelines for Americans, American Medical Association and American Diabetes Associa-tion, recommend consumers eat fish at least twice a week.

WHAT IS MERCURY?Mercury is a metal that occurs naturally

in air and water and is also a by-product of industrial activity. Mercury in seawater arises mostly from natural processes, including

underwater volcanoes.

WHO MONITORS THE LEVELS OF METHYL-MERCURY IN OUR FOOD SUPPLY?

In the United States, the responsibility for regulating mercury is shared by two federal agencies: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The FDA regulates commer-cially sold fish and seafood and provides consumption advice for consumers, while the EPA regulates the amount of mercury released into the environment.

Levels of methylmercury vary greatly,

largely based upon the species, size and age of the fish. According to the FDA, in general, methylmercury levels for most fish range from less than 0.01 parts per million (ppm) to 0.5 ppm. The average concentration for com-mercially important species is less than 0.3 ppm. In a few species, methylmercury levels can reach 1 ppm, which is the limit allowed by the FDA in fish intended for human con-sumption. This level is found most often in large predator fish, including shark, sword-fish, king mackerel and tilefish. Fresh-water

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What our vendors are doing...

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Butter Butter churning is strong across the nation as cream supplies are readily available. Domestic butter cold storage at the end of 2015 was 46% higher than a year ago. Traders are pointing towards this year’s Easter holiday demand as being strong enough to exhaust much of the excess butter stocks going into storage right now. Cash butter prices remain firm despite 5 year highs in U.S. cold storage.

CheeseCheese production remains solid and stable across the country. Despite winter storms manufacturers are using available milk supplies to increase inventories. Demand is holding on at solid levels. Markets are forecasted to remain at current levels, but if domestic orders slow there could be a reduction in spot prices.

Shell Eggs Wholesale shell egg prices are coming off the highest levels ever seen in January, as production returns. Buyers are waiting for market corrections before taking positions ahead of the holiday. Retail demand remains fair. Foodservice demand is good. Supplies of all sizes are readily available

Milk & Cream Milk production is steady to increasing at seasonal levels across most of the country and demand is strong in most regions. Cream supplies are moderate to plentiful. On the pricing side, both FMO and CA commodities saw decreases resulting in lower pricing in the coming weeks on most items.

Shrimp, Domestic (Whites and Browns): Inventory remains tight on all shell on domestic shrimp U15 and larger have biggest inventory issues.

Production is being reported down 6.6% from 2014-2015. Light demand is keeping pricing in check even with low inventory

Domestic PUDS: Inventory remains tight on peeled domestic meat.

Shrimp, Imported(Black Tiger and Whites): The market is stable.

(Mexican Browns and Whites): The catch has turned light. Outlook is not good at this point.

Catfish, Domestic & ImportedDomestic: Pricing has moved up on light inventory and higher prices from imports.

Imported: Inventories are very low and many vendors are cleaning up inventory to get ready for the new season. There is a new bill in place that will put USDA in charge of inspections of both domestic and imported catfish.

Salmon Chilean Farmed Salmon: Inventory is now low with high demand; prices are higher on fresh Chilean fillets.

European Salmon: Filets from Europe have light inventory and heavy demand.

Mahi Mahi The new season that started in November started out well with a lot of small fish caught. Fishing then slowed down when the larger fish started to show up. Fish from Central and South America are going to be tight.

Scallops Sea: The catch is off from last year. Product from Japan is in short supply. Future pricing looks to be $.85-$1.50/# higher. Modest declines expected in December.

Tilapia Production is low and farmers did not seed the ponds at the same rate as last year. China has reported a 30% decrease in seeding; we are hearing about an increase in price on future buys.

Pangasius The market has turned steady. Overall

outlook is for prices to see a slight decrease in Q1 of 2016.

Whitefish Complex Cod: The market for Atlantic and Pacific Cod continues to see stronger pricing. It is expected to see cod pricing higher than haddock this year.

Pollock: The market remains stable to lower. Inventories are good and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Association is looking to promote heavy in the continental U.S. Look for bargains in the near future on Alaskan pollock filets and imported pollock.

Haddock: Current inventory is good and pricing is now steady. Fisheries are in good shape and the long term outlook is for abundant inventory and lower prices. Fishery management made an upward move on the quota allowing more fish to be caught. With this news we should see lower prices through Lent.

Tuna, Yellowfin (Frozen Steaks & Loins): Portion business is seeing a rise in price due to new fishing rules. Outlook for the next few months is higher prices.

Apples & Pears The apple market remains mostly unchanged. Most all varieties are still available with the prices remaining high. The domestic pear market remains unchanged, with only Danjou, Bosc and Red Danjous remaining.

Lemons Market steady, good overall quality, with excellent color and juice content. The summer is going to be very tight.

Oranges The orange market is steady, overall quality of the fruit is excellent right now, but if the temperatures stay above average, likely to cause some puff and crease.

LimesThe lime market is increasing as the surplus of supply last month has burned off due to growing demand.

Commodity Update A snapshot of the market is below. For detailed information on additional commodities, log on to FSDO and click on “Market Update” for new weekly reports.

CMA SPOTLIGHT

Kent Precision Food Groups Inc. offers Mrs. Dash, the leading salt-free seasoning with over 30 years in the marketplace. Seasonings are available in a variety of sizes and flavors to meet Premier operators’ needs. Bold, on-trend flavors such as Spicy Jalapeno, Southwest Chipotle, Garlic & Herb and Lemon Pepper are used to create a variety of flavorful dishes without added sodium. Available in convenient 21-oz sizes for back of house, tabletop shakers for front of house, and in portion control packets.

Spicing it Up With Healthy Shakes, Sprinkles and Rubs

Through a patented process, True Lemon® and True Lime® delivers shelf-stable, consistent fresh-squeezed lemon and lime taste conveniently. Made with only minimal ingredients including the oils and juices from the fruits, True Lemon and True Lime contain no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives, sodium or gluten and have 0 calories,

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The low-cost, market share leader for salt, extracts/flavorings and seasonings/spices, US Foods well-respected brands include Monarch, Rykoff-Sexton and del Pasado.

A global leader in flavor, McCormick & Company brings a 125-year brand legacy to Premier. McCormick For Chefs®, the company’s Food Away From Home Division, provides unique solutions to the exacting demands of professional foodservice, according to Ian Wesson, Director of Marketing, Foodservice. Brands on contract for Premier members include McCormick Culinary®, Lawry’s®, OLD BAY®, Thai Kitchen® and Zatarain’s®, “delivering innovation and flavors for exceptional taste experiences,” says Wesson.

0g carbs and and 0g sugars. Sachets are available for patient trays, cafeterias and beverage stations and pouches are available for cooking, baking and beverages. Myriad uses include: as a salt substitute to make food flavors pop; add to hot or iced teas or seltzer; as a rub on seafood, meat or chicken; sprinkle on fruits to stop browning. “True Lemon and True Lime deliver real flavor from real fruit, every time,” promises Eligia Iossa, True Citrus Company.

Optifast Offers Medically-Based Solution to ObesityA very effective approach to address

the disease of obesity, the OPTIFAST® program offered Southcoast Hospitals Group Center for Weight Loss a proven solution to help their patients and employees get back on the road to better health. When the Ware-ham, MA-based hospital was looking for a behavioral based alternative to bariatric surgery, the 18-week OPTIFAST full meal re-placement program from Nestlé Health Sci-ence delivered outstanding results: patients lost an average 56 percent of excess weight, representing almost 20 percent of their body weight. At the end of 18 weeks, the average weight loss ranged from 36 to 47 pounds.

The Southcoast team of Stacy Medeiros, RD, LDN, Susan Oliveira, MBA, RDN, and Thom-as Streeter, MD, worked with Nestlé to establish the intensive intervention program for patients with a BMI of 30 or above, which includes: nLifestyle and behavioral training

curriculum provided by Registered DietitiansnMedical supervision to ensure patients lose weight safelynPortion and calorie-controlled OPTIFAST full meal replacements

The key is the comprehensive nature of the program, says Keith Hine, MS, RD, OPTI-FAST Director of Sales. “The OPTIFAST plan is designed to get to the core issue of why individuals have an unhealthy relationship with food, and to provide nutritional educa-tion throughout its course. The goal is to give participants a lifetime skill set that will help them sustain their weight loss,” he says. In fact, a multi-center five-year follow-up study with more than 600 patients showed after 5 years, approximately 50% of patients main-tained medically significant weight loss.

Premier members interested in starting an OPTIFAST program at their facility will

receive a full array of valuable resources from Nestle to help them get it underway quickly, says Hines. “Once branded as OPTIFAST, each participating hospital’s program and location will be included on our website, which is visited by more than 30,000 people monthly. We’ll also offer support on every as-pect of the program, and share our expertise on how to develop, implement and market to the community.” To learn if your hospital might benefit from a Medically Supervised Weight Management program contact: keith.hine@us.nestle.com

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Managing Millennials, Holding Down Food Costs, Improving Your Community’s Health: It’s All in a Day’s Work for Premier’s Foodservice MembersAs your responsibilities expand and

expectations grow, let us help you retain a leading edge in our exciting, challenging, field. If you’re a foodservice director at a hospital, nursing home, senior living facility, college and university, K-12 or commer-cial account, we hope you’ll join us at our information-packed winter regional meeting, coming to a city near you. We’ll share best practices, savings opportunities and commu-nity outreach ideas…and multiple chances to sample the newest CMAs.

On the agenda for Premier’s Winter Regional Meetings 2016:

Managing and Retaining the Millennials: We continue our fall discussion – how to attract and interview the newest generation of workers – with expert insights on how to manage and retain Millennials. Under-standing their values and adapting current management styles to meet their needs is critical to our industry’s future. We’ll explore

how to put techniques and strategies in place that will help you retain your best young employees.

Food Cost Inflation: Forewarned is forearmed…we’ll provide historical price trends and the 2016 forecast for the core commodities that directly impact your food costs.

Improving the Health of the Community: At a time of significant changes to reimbursement models, it’s never been more important for Premier members to provide valuable nutritional information that helps enhance your community’s health. We’ll discuss how the Premier CHOICE 365 program offers an easy way to extend your outreach, and explain the details of our latest offering, food demo modules. This complimentary resource includes every-thing you’ll need, from slides and recipes to equipment lists and handouts, to conduct an informative, engaging food demonstration

in your facility for employees or residents, or out in the community. “We believe this is one of the most impactful ways to create real excitement around low-sodium cooking and show just how delicious these recipes can be,” says Debby Kasper, Director of Clinical Nutrition and Wellness Program Develop-ment, Premier.

Vendor Shows: Get up close and per-sonal with our products – sample offerings that will delight your customers and trim your costs.

Get credit: 1.5 CEUs and 3.0 exhibit hours for registered dietitians/diet techni-cians; 1.75 CEUs and 3.0 exhibit hours from the Certified Dietary Managers Association; 3.0 hours of continuing education hours and 3.0 exhibit hours from ACF for certified chefs.

It’s a day well spent. To sign up, contact your local US Foods account manager.

Premier Winter Regional Foodservice Meeting AgendaTime Topic Presenter(s)

9:00 a.m. Introduction CMA update: Contract announcements of the newly awarded categories highlighted in the morning show

9:45 a.m. Morning vendor show: Talk to the vendors about the great savings Pancakes, Waffles, and French Toast, frozen opportunities or see new products to enhance your foodservice Kellogg’s Food Away from Home operation. Pinnacle Foods Group US Foods Fortified, Modified Foods, Dysphagia Products Diamond Crystal Lyons Magnus Pork Products (Bacon, Ham, Pork) Calumet Diversified Meats (pork products Smithfield Foods (bacon) Tyson (ham) US Foods

10:30 a.m. CMA Updates and Premier news: The Premier Foodservice Committee Premier staff (which is a group of your peers) has been busy awarding contracts that bring you great value and savings. Contract updates will be shared along with Premier news. The latest offering from CHOICE 365 will be presented. A lower sodium cooking module complete with recipes, handouts, and slides.

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Premier Winter Regional Foodservice Meeting Agenda (cont.)Time Topic Presenter(s)

11:30 a.m. Lunch show with vendors: Network with your peers Refrigerated Ground Beef – Patties and Bulk regarding a specific foodservice challenge. Develop a specific plan with Burger Maker action steps to implement at your facility. US Foods Wolverine Packing Co. Cheese and Cheese Sauce Gehl Foods (cheese sauce) US Foods Appetizers and Hors d’oeuvres McCain Foods US Foods Pierogis Ateeco Specialty Bread, Flatbread, Breads and Rolls ARYZTA (specialty bread) FGF Brands (flatbreads) Flowers Bakeries (specialty bread, breads & rolls) Orlando Baking Co. (breads & rolls) Rich Products Corporation (specialty bread, flatbread) Signature Breads (specialty bread) US Foods Vie de France Yamazaki (specialty bread)

12:45 p.m. Managing and retaining the Millenials: Part II of our discussion Premier staff which started in the fall meetings. Understanding what is important for this generation in the workplace will be of utmost importance for facilities into the future. Learning how to attract, interact and manage this generation will be critical.

1:45 p.m. Food vendor show RTS Cookies and Crackers Darlington (RTS Cookies) Kellogg’s Food Away From Home Mondelez International Synder’s Lance Croutons US Foods Franks, Sausages, Loaves Johnsonville Sausage (sausage) Sara Lee Foodservice (franks, sausages, loaves, corndogs) US Foods (franks, sausages, loaves) Cakes, Pies, Cobblers, Novelties Rich Products Corporation (cakes, novelties) Sara Lee Foodservice Sweet Streets US Foods (cakes, novelties)

2:45 p.m. Food Inflation/Market Update Premier staff Gain insight into the inflation forecasts for 2016. We will provide historical price trends and the forecast for 2016 for the core food based commodities that directly impact your food costs.

3:00 p.m. Fabulous door prizes (Must be present to win)

3:15 p.m. Adjourn

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Premier’s Regional Meetings…Winter 2016

Location Date Location

Metro NY 3/10/2016 US Foods Metro NY 1051 Amboy Avenue Perth Amboy, NJ 08861

Miami 3/2/2016 Sheraton Suites Fort Lauderdale at Cypress Creek 555 NW 62nd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

Milwaukee 3/29/2016 Four Points by Sheraton Milwaukee North Shore 8900 North Kildeer Court Brown Deer, WI 53209

Minneapolis/ 4/7/2016 Plymouth Creek CenterMinnesota 14800 34th Avenue North Plymouth, MN 55447

Philadelphia/ 3/22/2016 US FoodsBridgeport 300 Berkeley Drive Swedesboro, NJ 08085

Jackson 3/9/2016 Sheraton Metairie 4 Galleria Boulevard Metairie, LA 70001

Phoenix 2/24/2016 Radisson Hotel Phoenix North 10220 N. Metro Parkway East Phoenix, AZ 85051

Pittsburgh/ 3/17/2016 The Meadows Racetrack & CasinoGreensburg 210 Racetrack Road Washington, PA 15301

Raleigh 2/23/2016 US Foods 1500 NC Highway 39 Zebulon, NC 27597

Roanoke 3/23/2016 Sheraton Roanoke Hotel & Conference Center 2801 Hershberger Road Roanoke, VA 24017

San Francisco 3/31/2016 San Ramon Marriott 2600 Bishop Drive San Ramon, CA 94583 925-687-9200

Seattle/Portland 4/21/2016 Holiday Inn Portland – Airport 8439 NE Columbia Blvd Portland, OR 97220

Sioux Falls 3/1/2016 CJ Callaway’s 500 E. 69th Street Sioux Falls, SD 57109

St. Louis 3/30/2016 Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel 9801 Natural Bridge St. Louis, MO 63134

Tampa 4/12/2016 T. Pepin Hospitality Centre 4121 N. 50th Street Tampa, FL 33610 813-367-0040

Location Date Location

Albany 3/15/2016 Mallozzi’s Ballroom & Catering 1930 Curry Road Schenectady, NY 12303 518-355-0340

Boston 4/5/2016 Crowne Plaza 15 Middlesex Canal Park Drive Woburn, MA 01801

Buffalo 3/10/2016 RIT Inn & Conference Center 5257 West Henrietta Road Henrietta, NY 14467 585-359-1800

Charlotte 4/12/2016 Gastonia Conference Center 145 S. Marietta Street Gastonia, NC 28052

Chicago 4/13/2016 Garlands of Barrington 1000 Garlands Lane Barrington, IL 60010

Cincinnati 2/24/2016 Receptions Fairfield 5975 Boymel Drive Fairfield, OH 45014

Cleveland 3/16/2016 Hilton Garden Inn Rt. 82 Twinsburg OH 44087

Southern 3/17/2016 Embassy Suites by Hilton Santa AnaCalifornia Orange County Airport 1325 E. Dyer Road Santa Ana, CA 92705

Dallas/Houston 3/1/2016 Hyatt Place 5101 N. President George Bush Hwy. Garland, TX 75040

Detroit 4/7/2016 Suburban Collections Showplace 46100 Grand River Ave Novi, MI 48374

Grand Forks 3/15/2016 Rushmore Civic Center 444 Mt. Rushmore Road Rapid City, SD 57701

Indianapolis 3/29/2016 The Wellington Fishers Banquet & Conference Center 9775 North by Northeast Boulevard Fishers, IN 46037

Kansas City 3/8/2016 US Foods Lenexa Sales Office 16805 College Boulevard Lenexa, KS 66219

Manassas 3/2/2016 US Foods 11994 Livingston Road Manassas, VA 20109

Memphis 4/5/2016 Holiday Inn at University of Memphis 3700 Central Avenue Memphis, TN 38152

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At the Top of the Plate in 2016. Highlights from some of the industry’s top

food futurecasters for the new year include: E Start catering to Gen Z’s multi-cultural tastes with global cuisine. The newest kids at the table like Indian, Mexican, Vietnamese and Japanese foods, but they’re not drawn to specific cuisines; the focus is on individual dishes, foods and flavors.E Hyper local food cultures with a focus on natives’ favorite items, such as conch and key lime pie in Miami, haddock, bulkie roll and chowder in Boston and Italian beef and mostaccioli in Chicago. E Alternatives everywhere. Look for growth in alternative milks (soy, rice, almond, hemp, coconut, oat), flours (almond, chickpea, rice, buckwheat, spelt), butters (almond, cashew, pistachio), sweeteners (date sugars, rice syrups) and snack foods (kale chips, ancient grain popcorn).E Savory and sweet transforms. From a dash of savory in a traditionally sweet dish (salt in caramel, for example), the trend extends into savory-dominant (with the ad-dition of corn-husk ash, malt or miso paste) versions of dishes like ice cream and yogurt. E The Sriracha effect. From Spanish padron peppers to Middle Eastern sumac spice, there’s plenty of competition for the next sriracha or wasabi. Some other contend-ers include pistou (French pesto); espelette (bright red peppers from France); mostarda

(Italian condiment used to preserve fruits); sorrel (green leafy plant); turmeric (bright yellow spice with myriad health benefits); berbere (Ethiopian spice mix); ghost pepper from India; sambal from Southeast Asia; gochujang from Korea; harissa, sumac and dukka from North Africa.E Binge dining, with restaurants offering unlimited access to a dish at a fixed price. E Foods with a story, that connect with con-sumers, and earn their investment and loyalty. E Go beyond kale to equally nutritious greens like mustard greens, dandelion greens, beet greens and collard greens, even seaweed.E Teff, an Ethiopian staple rich in calcium and fiber, may be the next quinoa. E ‘Good’ fat is back – full fat dairy gets the nod, deep fried donuts do not.E Peasant fare gets the royal treatment. Meatballs and sausages proliferate, as do multi-ethnic dumplings, from pierogis to bao buns. E Burned is big. You’ll see charred or roasted vegetable sides; charred fruits or burnt-sugar toppings in desserts; and smoked salt, smoked ice or smoky syrups in cocktails.E Bubbling up are fruit-based artisanal sodas, sparkling teas and ‘hard’ versions of ginger ales and root beers. E The non-GMO group grows. Diners will look for GMO-free fare and GMO labeling on menus.

E Better fast food. Fresher menus, healthier concepts, ‘build your own’ formats are revital-izing the quick-serve restaurant. E Labneh, a savory Middle Eastern yogurt-cheese, is stepping into the spotlight, with all the health benefits of yogurt, and less sugar; goes well with olive oil, spices and seeds, vegetables, and even fruit. E Coffee will continue to reinvent itself. Look for coffee mocktails and sodas, dry-hopped coffee on nitro tap and coffee cherry brews.E Porridge makes a comeback. As porridge is made with a widening selection of grains—rye, spelt, black rice or quinoa, among others—and combined with sweet and savory toppings, this classic will serve as a satisfying main dish or hearty side.E Veggies at the center. Fresh produce continues to dominate, taking over from proteins as the meal’s main attraction.Sources: Mintel, Datessentials, Technomics, Sterling-Rice, National Restaurant Association

(continued from page 9)species – such as pike and walleye (which are also predator fish) – sometimes have methylmercury levels in the 1 ppm range.

The FDA is conservative in protecting the health of American consumers. As such, it has set consumption advice at the 1 ppm level, which is the limit allowed by the FDA for fish intended for human consumption. The level is purposely set 10 times lower than the lowest level associated with health problems (specifically mercury poisoning). This conservative level allows for the greater protection of everyone – adults, children and even unborn babies.

Canned tuna, composed of smaller spe-cies of tuna such as skipjack and albacore, has much lower levels of methyl mercury, averaging only about 0.17ppm.****US Food and Drug Administration – www.fda.gov/fdac/reprints/mercury.html

ARE AMERICANS AT RISK FOR METHYLMERCURY POISONING FROM EATING FISH?

No. Only a very small number of preg-nant women and women of childbearing age who may become pregnant who eat exceedingly large quantities of predator fish (shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel) need to be aware of certain concerns. You can safely eat 12 ounces per week of cooked fish.

SHOULD AMERICANS ELIMINATE FISH FROM THEIR DIETS BECAUSE OF METHYLMERCURY?

No. Fish is an excellent source of lean protein, vitamins and minerals. In addition, research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids found naturally in certain species of fish help lower the risk of heart disease and ease the pain of arthritis, among other things.

Chicken of the Sea: What You Should Know about Mercury

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Be Fruitful: Premier’s New Smoothies Concept Offers the Perfect Blend of Healthy-Trendy-Profitable-Delicious

When the Culinary Committee takes on a challenge, they always deliver spectacularly. This time, the retooling of Premier’s popular

smoothies concept for retail operations resulted in a record 20 new varieties and a delightfully quirky name, “Twisted Bliss.” Using real fruit, real yogurt containing live and active cultures, and choice of soy or almond milk, and sporting scrumptious titles like Strawberry Banana Blitz, Berry Breeze, Strawberry Slammer and Paradise Beach, the team blended up a winning roster of easy-to-make and even easier-to-swallow recipes. Smooth work!

For the complete list of Twisted Bliss smoothies, visit www.premierinc.com/foodandnutrition

The Premier Solution Center represents our ongoing commitment for total member satisfaction in striving not only to meet your expectations, but to exceed them...and making sure your voice gets heard.

If you have comments, suggestions or questions about Premier VIEWPOINT, feel free to contact the Vice President of the Premier Foodservice Program, Bob Juerjens via e-mail at bob_juerjens@premierinc.com

1-877-777-1552Monday – Friday

7:00a.m. – 6:00p.m. (CST)