Consumers aren’t giving up burgers and fries, but they want options.
They often look for restaurants that demonstrate a commitment to healthy choices and sustainability.
Farm-to-table menus do just that and help any kind of food business attract more customers.
Check out these tasty farm-to-table menu ideas you should think about trying out today.
25 Great Farm-to-Table Menu Ideas for Every Season
Celebrate Spring From Farm to Table
Keep dishes light with ingredients that celebrate this time of year.
Broccoli, romaine, lamb and veal are great starters for inspiring springtime farm-to-table menu ideas.
1. Toss Seasonal Fruit and Romaine
Craft a beautiful spring salad with premium romaine hearts and seasonal fruits.
Crunchy apples and pears complement the crisp romaine, while a sprinkle of toasted walnuts give this salad extra healthy texture.
2. Serve Broccoli For Brunch
Fresh broccoli meets locally sourced cheddar in a brunch casserole sure to please springtime appetites.
This recipe works with a variety of spring vegetables, making the versatile casserole a natural fit as a daily or weekly menu special.
3. Offer Spring Break Sandwiches
This easy menu idea is perfect for busy restaurant kitchens, and it's ideal for seasonal marketing.
Offer customers spring break sandwiches piled high with healthy portions of avocados, Persian cucumbers, golden beets and iceberg baby lettuce.
4. Cook Up A Rich Ragu With Lamb
Lamb is always a spring favorite, and the shoulder is an ideal base for a delicious ragu.
Pairing it with spring-fresh artichokes creates a dish that adds wonderful Italian accents to your spring farm-to-table menu.
5. Pan-Fry Panko Veal Chops
Veal is another entree that celebrates springtime. This recipe offers an unusual take on traditional flavors with a creme fraiche and sorrel sauce.
A panko crust keeps the pan-fried veal ribs moist as they finish with a quick oven roast.
6. Dress Up Rigatoni With Spring Vegetables
Start this versatile spring recipe with fresh rigatoni. Dress it up with sugar snap peas, leeks and fava beans.
Now, you have a menu item that serves as a cold pasta salad, a warm side dish or a very vegetarian entree.
Sizzle With Summer Farm-to-Table Menu Ideas
Let your restaurant customers stay cool with recipes that take the edge off summer heat.
It’s a great time of year to stock up on harvest from fields, orchards, farms and docks.
7. Chill With Citrus And Snap Peas
Pair the fresh flavor of avocados with the tang of tangerines and blood oranges to create an irresistible summer salad.
Nestle the ingredients on a bed of napa cabbage hearts, and dress with miso vinaigrette.
8. Brighten Up Tables With Wedge Salads
This bright salad is sure to take customers' minds off the summer heat.
Transform crisp iceberg baby wedges into edible salad bowls.
Fill with colorful cherry tomatoes, radishes and corn kernels, and bathe in housemade buttermilk ranch dressing.
9. Mix Up a Summer Veggie and Champagne Salad
Napa cabbage hearts serve as the base for this very cool summer veggie salad.
Simply add sliced strawberries, avocados, Persian cucumbers and pistachios.
Drizzle with a creamy dressing blend of champagne honey.
10. Go Crisp With Zucchini Chips
Summer is the season for farm-sourced zucchini, perfect for crisping in a hot oven.
Set out zucchini chips as Happy Hour snacks, or offer them as appetizers and sides.
They’re quick to prep and always popular with customers.
11. Combine Chicken And Berries
Strawberries and blueberries elevate grilled chicken salad with special summer flavors.
Romaine and red leaf lettuce add to the colorful presentation, and a marinade dressing finishes it off with sweet and tangy notes.
12. Combine Crab And Shrimp
This example of dock to table cooking brings together fresh crab and shrimp.
The Louisiana classic includes summertime heirloom tomatoes and microgreens.
Top with a balsamic vinegar dressing, and serve as an entree salad.
13. Surprise With Sweet Corn Ice Cream
Double the pleasure of your dessert menu with one surprisingly delicious dish.
Dining guests will fall in love with the irresistible taste of sweet corn ice cream.
They'll appreciate it even more when they realize this remarkable farm-to-table dessert is made in-house.
Warm Up Fall With Inviting Farm-to-Table Dishes
The best fall farm-to-table menu ideas are developed around easily sourced ingredients and warm, rich flavors.
From pumpkins to salmon, fall’s bounty offers a wealth of recipe inspiration.
14. Toss a Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad
Roasted purple Brussels sprouts always pair well with chilly weather.
This recipe gives the tradition an extra crunchy twist.
The salad tosses together roasted and raw Brussels sprouts, creating a flavorful mix of textures bathed in a sophisticated champagne vinaigrette.
15. Fire Up Broccoli With a Chili Crunch
Turn up the heat by adding extra fire to sauteed broccoli.
Simply dress the hot dish with a chili crunch sauce, and sprinkle with pecorino romano and hazelnuts.
Serve this easy menu item as a hot appetizer or spicy side dish.
16. Put Fresh Pumpkin In Risotto
Pumpkins are a natural choice for farm-to-table fall cooking, and they partner surprisingly well with creamy arborio rice.
Together, the two turn out a silky risotto that’s ideal as a standout side or a stand-alone dish.
17. Caramelize Fresh-Caught Salmon
This is another dock to table entree that’s healthy, delicious and seasonal.
Caramelized salmon keeps back of house happy with fast, simple prep.
It keeps customers coming back with its sweet and salty take on a fall favorite.
18. Brine And Roast Chicken
The rich flavor of dark molasses turns poultry into a fall classic with savory roasted chicken recipe.
An overnight brine soak yields a tender, juicy bird ready for quick prep during busy lunch or dinner services.
19. Wrap Up Warm Veggie Tacos
Sauteed purple Brussels sprouts star in an innovate take on traditional tacos.
Brussels sprouts and avocado slices wrapped in corn tortillas serve up a warm, casual entree, made even more inviting by a housemade tomatillo salsa.
Serve Hearty Fare With Winter Farm-to-Table Menu Ideas
Winter is ripe with opportunities to serve fresh, healthy fare.
Chase the chill out of your restaurant’s dining room with hearty winter vegetables and warm comfort food.
20. Blanket Sweet Potatoes With Heat
Turn baked potatoes into a memorable side dish or vegetarian entree as spicy twice-baked sweet potatoes.
Brand the winter vegetables as your house specialty by drizzling them with a hot honey, butter and chili sauce.
21. Bake Gourmet Gratin With Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most versatile farm-to-table winter vegetables, and it's also a savory standout in this gourmet gratin recipe.
The dish works especially well in busy restaurant kitchens, with a prep-to-table time of only 30 minutes.
22. Upgrade Slow-Cooked Beef Stew
Upgrade beef stew into an elegant entree with a few easy recipe modifications.
Use red wine during the reduction process, and add fresh mushrooms and carrots to the mix.
The results are perfect for savory winter lunches and dinners.
23. Reimagine the Classic Turkey Sandwich
Transform a classic turkey sandwich into a wintertime signature dish that celebrates the holidays.
Start by building it high on fresh-baked sourdough bread.
Layer turkey slices with purple napa cabbage leaves and cranberry sauce, and serve with season's greetings.
24. Comfort With Chicken And Dumplings
This wintertime tradition is destined to become a signature dish on your farm-to-table menu.
Chicken and dumplings, carrots, celery and leeks swim in a rich sauce made with heavy cream.
Buttermilk keeps the dumplings light and tender.
25. Oven-Roast Winter Vegetables
Brighten up guest plates with colorful oven-roasted vegetables.
Enjoy recipe flexibility with simple prep that can incorporate all types of winter vegetables.
Complement the healthy side’s deep flavors with fresh rosemary and thyme.
We Enjoy Delivering Fresh Ideas
You ensure your restaurant’s success by incorporating the freshest ingredients into every single dish.
The farm-to-table model is a perfect platform for building on that strategy, and it delivers business benefits too.
By working with local vendors and trusted produce suppliers, you can develop different menus that reflect each season.
It’s a strong marketing plan that engages regular customers and attracts new dining guests.
Here at Hitchcock Farms, sustainability is one of our founding principles. It’s always our pleasure to deliver fresh menu ideas for your restaurant.
We support farm-to-table concepts in all types of food service settings by growing and delivering the freshest premium produce available.
FAQs
What does farm to table mean?
Farm to table is a widely used term, describing the relationship between operations that grow fresh produce and different facets of the foodservice industry.
Most often, that connection is direct between a grower and shipper, like Hitchcock Farms, and distributors or restaurant operations.
Farm to table is sometimes referred to as farm to fork, farm fresh and locally sourced.
What are farm-to-table basics?
While the phrase isn't regulated, it generally applies to produce that moves from fields to restaurants or home kitchens.
For example, restaurants that offer farm-to-table menus feature items made with directly sourced ingredients.
Overall, the process establishes reliable connections between growers and foodservice professionals. This type of network ensures a steady supply of fresh produce year-round.
What are the benefits of farm-to-table food?
Sustainability is the most important benefit of farm-to-table food because it helps reduce the carbon footprint of transportation.
The business model supports sustainable farming operations of all sizes and supplies all types of foodservice businesses.
The farm-to-table model ensures a reliable source of premium produce and year-round access to seasonal vegetables.
Both are important to successful restaurant menu planning, increased sales and overall customer satisfaction.
