Fire Up the Grill and Make Summer Sizzle With Healthy Tips and Plant-Forward Menus

Chefs from Aramark Offer Simple Tips to Make This Summer Healthy and Delicious

PHILADELPHIA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$ARMK #FYP365–With the official start of summer on Friday, June 21, Aramark (NYSE: ARMK), the largest U.S. based food services provider, is inspiring people to make healthier meal choices part of their summer, by sharing simple tips and techniques to make menus sizzle with plant-forward power.

Motivated by its mission to enrich and nourish lives, Aramark launched a major plant-forward initiative last year, to boost nutrition across its menus in colleges and universities, hospital cafés and workplace locations. The initiative has resulted in a 15% average reduction in calories, saturated fat and sodium, and 9% increase in fruits, vegetables and whole grains across those dining location menus, where 30% of the main dishes are also vegan or vegetarian.

“The plant-forward movement is inspiring our kitchens across the country to move fruits, vegetables and whole grains to the center of the plate. The abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables during the summer makes it even easier to incorporate more plant-forward foods into grilling menus,” said Jason Lewis, Culinary Development Chef at Aramark.

Aramark tapped into its network of more than 1,000 chefs, who are responsible for serving nearly two billion meals each year, to create a list of proven summer tips that pack a plant-forward punch and will have guests craving more.

Creating Flavor on the Grill

Impress your family and your friends this year with Aramark’s chefs’ top techniques for adding healthier flavors on the grill. Everyone can #Grillbetter with these chef-approved methods for grilling a main course.

Rub on the spices. Spice rubs add flavor to meats, fish and chicken. Made from common pantry ingredients like paprika, chili powder and cayenne pepper, spice rubs have fewer calories and usually less sodium and sugar than BBQ sauces or marinades. Spice combinations can be made from garlic, onion powder, dried basil and oregano. Try a spicy Jamaican jerk chicken rub made from allspice, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, ground cloves and cinnamon.
Add bursts of lemon. It’s easy to cut the amount of salt used on grilled meats or seafood by 50%. Just replace it with lemony goodness. Replace each ½ teaspoon of salt with 5 teaspoons of juice and 1 teaspoon of zest. Drizzle the flavor directly over foods as they cook.
Baste on the flavor. Use a basting brush and pack on additional flavor over the flame. Baste green veggies with a healthy oil and herb mixes. Baste steak, chicken or fish with a mix of ingredients. Try chopped cloves and onions mixed with Dijon mustard, olive oil and red wine vinegar.
Bring on the smoke. Another option for adding a delicious and unique flavor is adding a smoky flavor and aroma. Achieve this, even on a gas grill, by adding flavored smoke wood chips like mesquite, apple, cherry, maple or hickory. Smaller chips typically work best on grills because they’re quicker and easier to smoke.
Blend them together. For burgers with a healthy twist, chop mushrooms finely and mix with lean ground beef or turkey to create a unique blend for grilling. For best results, replace about 25-30% of the meat with mushrooms. The blend is a tasty way to add veggies and flavor to your meal.

Sizzling Summer Sides

The grill isn’t only for the main course. Whip up summer’s best flavors as side dishes to have a more colorful diet. Summer sides of fruits and veggies add flavor and give meals a nutrition boost using the power of plants.

Grilled Pineapple – lightly grilled pineapple gives a subtly sweet flavor on this version of salsa
Grilled Eggplant – smoky eggplant slices are the perfect substitution for your next burger
Stone Fruit – peaches, plums and nectarines burst with flavor when lightly grilled
Peppers – toss them with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a tasty side dish or sandwich topping
Carrots – simply toss with cumin and green onions to balance the natural sweetness of carrots

**Download photos of these items here**

Safety Tips

Avoid falling victim to grilling mishaps by brushing up on these safety tips.

Food Refrigeration Safety: The summer months can reach scorching temperatures, which means careful refrigeration is a priority with raw meats, fish and poultry before they reach the grill. Always refrigerate meats even when thawing and marinating. Place the food in a tray or container deep enough to collect any draining fluids to prevent contamination of other foods in your refrigerator. If you are grilling on-the-go this summer, be sure to pack meats in a cooler over ice to keep them chilled and fresh.
Personal Safety: Exercise caution while wearing long or loose-fitting clothing or aprons around the grill. Use flame-retardant mitts and grilling utensils with long handles. More importantly, never leave a hot grill unattended.
Food Handling: Keep it clean. Always wash your hands BEFORE preparing your food and in between other tasks. Keep kitchen counters, cutting boards and utensils clean at all times to prevent cross-contamination among food and hard surfaces.
Food Preparation: Cook your raw meat products to the minimum internal temperatures as stated on the product packaging. Poultry browns quickly on the grill but may not be fully cooked inside. You should use a food thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F for poultry, 160°F for ground beef and 145°F for steaks and chops.
Leftovers: Savor those cookout creations the next day with leftovers. Remember to keep leftovers cooled to below 70°F (21°C) within 2 hours, and then to 41°F (5°C) or below within 4 hours.

For more grilling tips and recipes, visit www.fyp365.com or join the conversation on Instagram.

About Aramark

Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, state-of-the-art healthcare providers, the world’s leading educational institutions, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world. Our 270,000 team members deliver experiences that enrich and nourish millions of lives every day through innovative services in food, facilities management and uniforms. We work to put our sustainability goals into action by focusing on initiatives that engage our employees, empower healthy living, preserve our planet and build local communities. Aramark is recognized as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE, as well as an employer of choice by the Human Rights Campaign and DiversityInc. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Contacts

Erin Noss

215-409-7403

Noss-erin@aramark.com