Microgreens can have many uses in a commercial or institutional foodservice operation. From fine dining restaurants to long-term care communities, they have a full range of benefits.
What are microgreens?
Sometimes referred to as vegetable greens and smaller than "baby greens," they're cultivated after plant leaves are in the early stages of development. Not to be confused with sprouts or shoots, they're clipped from a growing plant to provide visual enhancement, flavor, texture, and even nutritional value.
Historically, fine dining has been one of the primary applications, showing up on chef-driven menus in California as early as the 1980s. Arugula, beets, kale, and herbs like cilantro and basil are common, and now their use is widespread throughout the country, and in more places than just fine dining restaurants.
Consider healthcare and long-term care communities where nutritional values are critical. According to the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, microgreens can be up to 40 times more potent in phytochemicals than their mature counterparts. What does that mean? It means the consumption of microgreens can have the following health benefits.
Here at One Source, we realize the ultimate value of foodservice is nutrition and well-being. That can be both mental and physical. That's why we grow our own microgreens in our GardenChef units from Carter-Hoffmann. Our team has loved growing microgreens in our own test kitchen. The bottom line is they're easy to grow in-house, and they provide the amazing health benefits as listed above. Because they're so often used in fine dining, they can elevate basic dishes to higher qualities, as well.