In noncommercial foodservice, it’s necessary to be a little and a lot of everything for everyone at every price point.  That’s a big order, but Grapes from California can help respond to all of these challenges.  That’s because grapes are:

Delicious          Beautiful          Versatile          On Trend          Healthy

1. Grab ‘n Go: Offer fresh grapes in the refrigerated “to go” section, because fresh, healthy and portable wins the day in this arena.
2. Salad bars: Offer halved, whole or clusters of grapes in the bar.  Don’t just group them with other fruits – grapes are equally tasty in savory salads, too.
3. Breakfast: Use fresh grapes in anything that might use other fresh berries such as breakfast yogurt parfaits, muffins, coffee cakes, and as a fruit topping for waffles and French toast.
4. Snack Packs: Package grapes with some cheese or hummus and crackers for the perfect midday pick-me-up.
5. Hot Line/Grill Station: Offer grapes instead of fries or chips to go with burgers and other hot sandwiches.  Stanford Dining Services found that when given the choice, 30 percent of their customers opted for grapes.
6. Salads, Sandwiches and Wraps: Upgrade basic tuna, chicken, and turkey salads by adding grapes.  The same goes for sandwiches, wraps, and pitas.
7. Pizza Day: Use grapes as a signature topping for that extra WOW factor.  Grapes, gorgonzola, and roasted garlic…Grapes, red onion, and blue cheese…Grapes, rosemary, and ricotta with a drizzle of honey (and sprinkle of lemon zest!)…Grapes, brie, and arugula…Yum.
8. Catering: Grapes are a must for catered events, functioning on multiple levels: as a decoration, plate garnish, and signature ingredient.
9. Décor: Nothing communicates bounty, freshness, and beauty better than fresh grapes.  Plus, they practically arrange themselves.
10. For more ideas, browse this website and visit our Grapes Make the Plate page on the CIA’s ProChef website.

Are you already using grapes in interesting and innovative ways?  Do you have a great recipe featuring grapes that you serve in your operations?  We’d love to hear about it!  Contact us.