Check Off What’s Working as You Plan Ahead

Think of all you’ve accomplished across your campus foodservice programs this year.

As the winter break nears, allow your perspective to zoom out and fully absorb the scope of your programs’ impact.

Now is the time to evaluate, look forward, and plan for smooth serving well into the next academic year. Here’s a simple checklist, starting with a roundup of top campus dining movements.

C&U Trendspotting for 2026

Chocolate SunButter® Smoothie

Beverages Are Brimming with Potential
Dirty sodas, fancy shakes, loaded smoothies, beautiful bobas, fruit-forward spicy and functional drinks all cater to students’ desire for fast, mood-boosting, and energizing sips.

Global Tastes Start Name Dropping
The integration of bitter, salty, and sweet is driving the appeal of diverse cuisines. Chefs are calling out the traditions that inspire their recipes, even for fusions or mashups – be it Korean, Peruvian, Filipino, or Laotian. Start with familiar formats and flavors, then add new cultural tastes.

Savory Little Treats
Indulging in bite-sized snacks whenever the craving strikes is a well-established way of campus life. We see chefs experimenting with small savory formats that combine spice with sweet, umami, and tangy notes to wow students.

Chocolate SunButter® Swicy Sauce

Delivering an Experience
It’s the immersive and shared food experience that entices students to spend their dining dollars on campus. Foodservice directors are responding with imaginative touches and storytelling through color, texture, and an element of surprise. Allergy-friendly serving gives all students a seat at the table.

Special Social Features
Widely shared dishes on social media like Dubai chocolate continue to influence students’ tastes. Social media menus and serving stations engage students, featuring fun treats like date caramels made allergy-friendly with SunButter®.

Roasted Pumpkin Feta Salad with SunButter® Lemon Dressing

Wellness Themed Venues
Menus that highlight benefits for workout recovery, athletic performance, academic success, and overall wellness appeal to students looking to stay at the top of their game. Think plant-forward poke bowls and roasted-veggie salads with SunButter® dressing.

Balance the Demand for Customization with Efficiency

Start here: Review menu performance data from this year
Go here: Decide what to keep, what to grow, and what to change

Pre-winter break is the time to:

• Undergo product evaluations for the next academic year
  
• Adjust forecasts based on enrollment projections and meal plan participation
  
• Review contracts with current vendors (Don’t forget to lock in great pricing on SunButter®, the Worry-Free Wonderfood!)
  

How’s Your Menu Measuring Up?

• Identify top- and low-performing items
  
• Calculate food waste percentages
  
• Review allergy protocols

What Could You Add? Consider:

• Fresh and local food initiatives
  
• Recipes that reflect more students’ cultures
  
• Speed-scratch, scratch, or fully prepared menu optimization
  
• Allergy-friendly variety
  
• Opportunities to grow grab & go, retail, concessions, micro-markets, etc.
  
• New vending or serving options
  
• Frictionless ordering & payment

How Are You Engaging Students? Consider:

• Surveys
  
• In-cafeteria conversations
  
• Monthly cooking classes

Find New Ingredients and Dishes to Increase:

• Versatility
  
• Flexibility
  
• Sustainability
  
• Speed of service
  
• Cross-menu utilization
  
• Easy-to-store solutions
  
• Ease of prep for student workers

Consider True Partners

In addition to price, it’s important to choose suppliers based on:

• Value-added resources
  
• Overall service
  
• Reliability
  
• Ease of use and cross-utilization of products

When We Say Free of the Top 9 Food Allergens, We Mean It
SunButter® is the original nut-free butter, made in the USA. We’re super passionate about inspiring simple, inclusive menus that nourish all students.