Pizza for Millennials

Mimi’s Pizza for Millennials is an 8 part blog series. We will be discussing the hottest trends dictated by the rapidly growing market segment that shook up the entire pizza industry: the millenials.

Part 1/8 How to successfully introduce healthy pizza to the menu

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes 

Article highlights:

• Grains are the antidote to the carbohydrate craze.
• Thin crusts are healthy options that allow the topping flavours to stand out.
• Never compromise the quality of your cheese.
• Always be ready with substitutes for red meats and veggies galore.

Our first topic is healthy pizza. With consumers being more and more conscious about their food choices, today’s pizza crafters need to quickly adapt.

The end product is not the only showstopper anymore. Consumers want the story behind the food in their plate and, in order to give them this, restaurant owners have to backtrack their steps to the smallest details in the process. Start by thinking of the quality of your flour or the purity of the olive oil. For healthy pizza to take off in your kitchen, you have to let the ingredients do the talking.

According to “The Canadian Pizza Consumer Trend Report“, pizza made with premium and all-natural ingredients will appeal more than a traditionally healthy pizza. In other words, consumers don’t want to compromise taste in favor of a healthier pizza. They want both great taste and great quality.

Grains: the antidote to the carbohydrate craze

When it comes to healthy crust substitutions, whole grains are the most popular alternative. The blend of grains you choose will help you differentiate yourself from the competition.

Since the crust is the foundation that can turn any pizza into a healthy and delicious dish, the ingredients that go into your dough are crucial.

MiMi’s take on a healthy, nutritious and absolutely delicious crust is called Amazing Grains™. It’s a powerful blend of super foods and organically sourced dehydrated fruits that can be found in both our dough balls and par-baked crust. Here’s what goes in it:

Sprouted buckwheat, sprouted millet, Salba® chia, golden flax, organic quinoa, organically sourced dehydrated whole oranges, cranberries, apples, cherries, blueberries, strawberries and Shitake mushrooms. 

Not to mention it’s a good source of Vitamin B6, Thiamine, protein, fibre, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Riboflavin, Folic Acid and Manganese.

Food for thought: what ingredients go into your pizza dough? What are the nutritional benefits brought to your customers?

Thinner crust, bolder flavours

Aside from the ingredients in your crust, the thickness of it can have a huge impact on your customers’ healthy diets. For the carb-counting customer, the thin crust is the right answer.

Mimi Tip: Recommend a thin, whole grain crust as a healthy option. Explain to your customers that a thin crust allows the flavours of the toppings to be truly savoured. It’s a win-win situation.

What to consider when creating a healthy custom crust recipe

When creating the ingredient list, do not overlook the whole grains. Healthy pizza is a trend that’s here to stay and whole grains are a major part of it. Other healthy ingredients to consider are:

• Unbleached flour
• Olive oil
• Sea salt

The cheese: keep it real and keep it coming

There is a common misconception that cheese is unhealthy – false. Real cheese complements a healthy diet, providing calcium and protein. On the other hand, “cheese substitutes”, which are sometimes used by companies to reduce their costs, are the ones to avoid.

Cheese is the one element that binds the crust to its toppings, so never compromise when it comes to its quality. In other words, keep the cheese real and don’t look for ways to eliminate it, but rather substitute it.

Mimi tip: “Healthier” cheese substitutions are:

• Feta cheese (low in fat and calories)
• Goat cheese (high in protein)
• Provolone (high in calcium)

Don’t forget the toppings

With a healthy, whole grain crust that serves as a solid foundation, you’re now ready to move on to the final element of the healthy pizza: toppings. To keep up with the health trend, always have substitutes for red meats and veggies galore.

Mimi favourites: spinach, mushrooms, broccoli and grilled chicken.

According to the same statistics from “The Canadian Pizza Consumer Trend Report“, certain toppings can be targeted to certain demographics. For example, men are more likely to order meaty pizzas, while meat-free options are preferred by women.

When done correctly, healthy pizza can make your business bloom and keep millennials coming back to you for more.

For more details regarding Mimi’s Amazing Grains™, contact us at:

905-660-0010 or artisticdough@mimifoods.ca

Read Pizza for Millennials Part 2/8: Why every pizza menu should have a healthy crust option