Using your assessment data, input from the food service provider, and other expertise you might be able to draw on (such as a Registered Dietitian or other food service staff), review the list of strategies below to determine the most appropriate and effective strategy or strategies for reducing sodium in targeted venues.
As you review each strategy, consider the following:
- Feasibility: What kind of resources (human and financial) are needed to implement this strategy? Would this strategy have a significant negative effect on the bottom line? Are the supports or infrastructure in place necessary for the strategy to be successfully implemented? Are there significant barriers to implementation?
- Potential for impact: How much will this strategy contribute to lower sodium content of foods? To what extent will this strategy increase availability and access to lower sodium foods? To what extent will this strategy result in reduced sodium consumption?
- Will: Is there enthusiasm for this strategy? From the consumer, to line staff and managers, to administrators and policy makers, will this strategy be met with support?
Modified Kitchen Preparation Methods/Culinary Techniques to Enhance Flavor
This is the use of different methods
of cooking to develop recipes that are lower in sodium but still well received
by the customer. This may include strategies to limit salt (such as outfitting
cooks to follow recipes, precise measurement, and not engaging in “free
salting”), using other ingredients or methods to enhance flavor, and even
scratch cooking — preparing foods using basic ingredients rather than using
prepackaged items. Some examples include:
- Replacing salt in recipes with more herbs, spices, and fresh garnishes
- Making scratch marinades or dressings, allowing for the amount of salt to be controlled
- Using techniques such as roasting, searing, and sautéing instead of frying food to avoid the salt and fat that can come from the oil and coating
Sourcing & Developing Lower-Sodium Ingredients
Seeking products with less or no salt added, such as breads, canned sauces, and beans can be an effective method to significantly reduce the sodium in food. For example, replacing a sourdough bread for a multigrain option can not only reduce salt, but improve the nutritional content of the bread served. Food service providers may need to work with distributors to identify or source lower-sodium options (also see Group purchasing for lower sodium). Remember, some foods/ingredients can actually be lower in sodium than those labeled “low sodium.” Reviewing nutrition labels or consulting nutrition databases is key.
Occasionally good low-sodium options are not readily available, and partnering with a distributor or vendor to develop a lower-sodium option is a strategy to pursue.
Group Purchasing for Lower Sodium Products
Some food service settings — particularly hospitals — use group purchasing in order to leverage purchasing power by buying products or services with other organizations. Group purchasing provides an opportunity to negotiate prices and product inventory, such as demonstrating demand for lower sodium products. For example, Morrison Healthcare used their purchasing power through the group purchasing organization Compass Group to acquire lower sodium ingredients without negative impact on the bottom line. Due to their large purchasing power and demand for lower sodium products, the new, lower sodium ingredients are available to Compass Group’s other food service sectors as well as to other purchasers outside the Compass system.
Product Replacement
Product replacement involves identifying ingredients and foods that contribute to the sodium content of meals or dishes, and identifying lower-sodium alternatives in order to reduce overall sodium content without compromising flavor. This is often achieved by assessing pantries, dishes, and recipes for sources of high sodium and replacing them with lower sodium options, such as low-sodium beans, soup stock, and tomato-based products.
Portion Size Reduction
Managing portion sizes is not only a good sodium reduction strategy, but can contribute to healthy eating overall by ensuring that consumers are eating recommended portions and not consuming more calories and other nutrients than recommended. Portion sizes can be modified to meet HHS/GSA Food Service Guidelines criteria for sodium in foods and help consumers better adhere to US Dietary Guidelines recommendations for sodium intake. For example, pasta offerings can be portioned so that a serving contains <230mg sodium, within the HHS/ GSA Food Service Guidelines standard criteria for cereals and grains . Portion size can also be guided by consumer preference and acceptance, such as offering snack-size portions that many consumers find appealing and that also meet guidelines for sodium content.
Examples of portion size modifications to reduce sodium
include:
- Using smaller/thinner sliced breads or sandwich
buns to cut back on sodium
- Requiring portion-controlled items in the
kitchen, such as using limited amounts of higher sodium cheeses and cured meats
and using more naturally low-sodium foods like fruits and vegetables to fill
the plate without adding sodium
- Offering menu items that can be higher in sodium
in smaller bowls, on smaller plates, or pre-portioned, such as dressing
packages
- Ensuring kitchen staff measures ingredients used
and food served, such as utilizing measuring spoons and cups to both prepare
recipes and plate food
Behavioral Economics & Marketing
Behavioral Economics
These approaches involve altering features of the physical or social environments to lead to behavior changes to increase purchase and/or selection of lower sodium foods. Examples may include the display and presentation of lower-sodium options, positioning of lower-sodium options relative to higher-sodium choices, taste testing/sampling, and labeling and other promotional strategies. These strategies come at low- or no-cost, and they can have a positive impact on sales.
Marketing Research
has found that sodium reductions of up to 20% are not noticeable to consumers, depending on the food product (Sodium Reduction in Food Service: A Resource for Public Health Professionals Partnering with Food Service Providers, NNPHI and CIA). “Stealth health” approaches, that is incorporating healthier ingredients or preparation methods into food items without drawing consumer attention to these changes, can be an effective strategy when reducing sodium in dishes, as long as the changes are gradual over time and do not “hide” ingredients from consumers who may have food intolerances, allergies, and dietary preferences. Another option is to consider a labeling system that identifies foods as “heart healthy,” using colors (“red, yellow, or green”) or other image/naming conventions. The term “heart healthy” may include but not be limited to reduced sodium. With any marketing strategy, attention should focus on making the healthier option the easier and more appealing option and be adjusted based on consumer selection and sales.
For more guidance and resources on sodium reduction efforts, visit the Partnering with Food Service to Reduce Sodium: A Toolkit for Public Health Practitioners.
