Not every new item that catches on with natural and organic food devotees will cross over onto mainstream restaurant menus. But enough of them do—kale, quinoa, Greek yogurt—that it's worth your time to check out the list of 10 natural and organic food trends compiled by the analysts at Boulder, CO-based Sterling-Rice Group. Not only do some of these items hold special appeal for customers; many are food-cost friendly.

Number one on the list: lentils. A nutritional powerhouse, lentils were a superfood before the term "superfood" was coined. The experts at Sterllng-Rice say that now their time has come.

"Thanks to the wave of demand for products high in protein in fiber and free of gluten and soy, the star of many a Middle Eastern dish is branching out into everything from pasta to waffles," these experts say. "Expect lentils to keep showing up in both familiar and new forms as consumers continue their quests for new plant-based protein sources as well as protein-fortified items across all dayparts and types of food."

Source: www.restaurant-hospitality.com

To learn more about the opportunities of the Romanian food service market contact the Gastromedia editors at +40733-313.043 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.