Ways to Run a Healthier Concession Stand at Your Recreation Center

Concession stands are a great way to earn some extra revenue at your recreation center. Unfortunately, most food offered at concession stands, such as hot dogs, popcorn, candy, and soda, provide little nutritional value. For young athletes looking for a quick meal after their game, hot dogs and soda are hardly healthy options. Although these items may sell, healthier options may be just as popular if you give them a try. If you are looking to improve the nutritional value of your concession stand, follow these tips from Sports Facilities Managment.

Add Healthy Foods

When changing your recreation center’s concessions menu, think of foods that would be would popular with children and easy-to-eat in the stands. Avoid foods that would be messy or time-consuming to prepare. For fruit, offer clementines and bananas which are easy for kids to peel and easy to store before and after the game. If you are wanting more variety, consider selling individually wrapped packages of apple slices, grapes, and pineapple.
Individually wrapped packages also work well for vegetables, so consider selling packages of baby carrots or celery. To make vegetables more appealing, sell hummus or ranch on the side. These simple, but nutritious options are sure to be a hit with young athletes and health-conscious parents.

Replace Unhealthy Foods

In addition to adding new, healthy items to you concessions menu, consider replacing a few unhealthy ones with nutritious alternatives. Instead of selling buttered popcorn, sell plain popcorn with butter and salt on the side. Instead of greasy, salty potato chips, sell packages of cheese and crackers. Lastly, replace cans of soda with juice boxes and bottled water.

Provide Options

Although many patrons may welcome your recreation center’s new and improved concession stand, some will desire the old options. To make sure your concession stand remains popular and profitable, offer a variety of choices. Just because you sell fruits and vegetables doesn’t mean you cannot sell hotdogs and burgers.
To make sure everyone gets something they like, we recommend splitting the menu in half: half healthy and half not-so-healthy. This allows people to pick and choose the foods that they like and gives them the power to decide what to eat. Remember, you cannot change your patron’s diet or food preferences, but you can at least offer healthier choices.

Recreation Center Management

Sports Facilities Management specializes in management solutions for youth and amateur recreation centers. Whether our clients measure success in dollars, community engagement, or children’s access to sports, we produce industry-leading results. To learn more about our services or how you can improve your recreation center, contact Sports Facilities Management today!