Vegetarians

National Vegetarian Week is from September 28 to October 4. This year Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) and the week’s organisers will be releasing the results of a national survey to find out if menu options are becoming more diverse to reflect the shift in customer tastes. They will also be releasing resource kits to help and educate businesses and the general public about Vegetarianism.

There are essentially three groups of Vegetarians;
Vegans - do not eat any animal products at all (may include honey)
Ovo-lacto vegetarians - eat no meat at all (including red, white and seafood)
Non-meat - do not eat red meat but will eat poultry and/or seafood

During June, the R&CA invited both members and non-members to take part in the survey. It was designed to determine how far vegetarian and “healthy options” have been included on the menu.

“The type of food available in Australian restaurants is constantly evolving as consumers tastebuds continue to change,” said R&CA chief executive officer John Hart. “This survey is a great opportunity for businesses in the industry to take stock of what they offer and whether they are meeting the needs of the community.”

“We are committed to helping restaurants, cafes and caterers provide the best service for their customers and we urge all businesses to get involved in the survey and to adopt some of the suggestions that will be provided in the resource kits” Mr Hart said of the R&CA.

For more information about Restaurant and Catering Australia and the survey results, as well as to find out who won the Tim Cahill signed Socceroos Jersey, for participating in the survey, head to www.restaurantcater.asn.au