It can be tough to serve your food truck customers healthy meals at low prices, but there are many high-quality, organic foods that can be added to your menu on the cheap. Those who want to avoid additives like aspartame, genetically-modified ingredients, high-fructose corn syrup, and MSG don’t need to bust their food budgets to do it. Shopping in bulk for items that don’t spoil quickly and by season is a financially friendly way to build a dynamic and healthy food truck menu of whole foods.
10 Cost Effective Food Items Add To Create A Healthy Food Truck Menu
- Brown Rice –Â The first of our healthy food truck menu ingredients is brown rice. When purchased in bulk, brown rice can be very cost-friendly — and it also has a lengthy shelf-life when stored in a sealed container.
- Flax Seed – Flax seeds are versatile and full of healthy fats, fiber and nutrients. They are often available at a low price, especially when self-bagged. Whole seeds stay fresh for up to a year in a cool, dark place.
- Eggs – Certified organic eggs that are locally harvested are often sold by the dozen for $2 or less, but buying straight from the source can be even cheaper.
- Carrots – Eaten raw, juiced or cooked, carrots can be bought fresh for less than $1 per pound. They also keep for quite a long time in the crisper drawer.
- Apples – It’s often said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and they’re also great on an on the go menu. These pocketbook-friendly fruits can be juiced, served raw or baked.
- Peanut Butter – Peanut butter is a savory way to add flavor to certain menu items. Tossing it into sauces, is a common way to use this ingredient in Asian recipes.
- Nuts – Most stores sell bulk nuts, which are nutritionally dense and are a long-lasting snack. Almonds, cashews and sunflower seeds are a great addition to salads, and they also store well, even in open air.
- Olive Oil РA bottle of organic, extra virgin cold pressed olive oil can be bought for about $5 by avoiding brand names, and it can be used to add flavor and healthy fats to foods, salad dressing and is a saut̩ staple.
- Meat – Proteins tend to hit pocketbooks the hardest, but a lot of money can be saved by buying directly from a farm. Grass-fed meat can be leaner and more nutritious.
- Onions –Â The last of our healthy food truck menu ingredient suggestions are onions. Onions are an antioxidant-rich superfood that add flavor to rice dishes, soup stocks, salads, and hearty breakfast scrambles. They also last for weeks when kept in a cool, dry place.
RELATED:Â Avoid These Food Truck Menu Pricing Strategies
The Bottom Line
Your cost to serve a meal includes both overhead costs and the actual food on the plate. More vendors looking for options to offer a healthy food truck menu, we hope this list helps.
Do you have a healthy food truck menu? What items did we miss in our list? Share your thoughts in the comment section below or on social media. Facebook | Twitter
