Consumers expect to see food labels when buying groceries and food data when eating in restaurants. Nutrition and ingredient labels have become standard sources of information for consumers; however, labeling now goes far beyond the grocery store. Consumers who regularly eat in hospitals, schools, universities, large offices or other institutions are looking for the same type of informative food labeling, including clearly identified foods that are both healthy and fresh.

Providing this type of transparency to consumers may seem insurmountable to noncommercial foodservice providers who are perpetually being pulled in many different directions. With the evolution of automated menu management systems, however, foodservice operators across the U.S. are now able to easily provide a wealth of nutritional and health-related information to their customers.

Use of an automated menu management system can improve recipe menu planning with cloud-based data software accessing important information about menu ingredients, allergens, food safety labeling and nutritional information. One example of this type of cloud-based software solution is the Nutritics Insight system, offered as part of DayMark Safety Systems’ MenuPilot kitchen automation platform.

Nutritics Insight makes accessing information easy and efficient, ensuring foodservice operators can oversee process and obtain data while also providing versatility. The system provides a multitude of functions, using cutting-edge technology designed to ensure food being served to consumers is safe, healthy and in compliance with regulatory requirements.

An added benefit that systems such as Nutritics offer foodservice operators is the ability to keep all recipe analysis in one place, including nutrients such as calories, sugar, salt, vitamins and glycemic index. Operators can continuously add user-requested foods and supplements to the nutrition analysis program. In addition, the systems improve efficiency by performing an analysis within seconds and storing information, making it even easier to access for future dishes and recipes.

Whatever type of industry, foodservice operators must be aware of consumer needs and varying expectations. Creating menus that include clean labels, customizable selections and healthy offerings should be a top priority for non-commercial operators—and menu management software provides an opportunity to streamline the process.

Article originally appeared on the Foodservice Director website.