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September is a month of transition. As summer comes to an end and autumn begins, it’s the perfect time for caterers to start making small seasonal changes to their menus.
Using fresh, seasonal produce can help keep menus interesting, bring variety to familiar dishes and make the most of the fantastic ingredients available at this time of year. This September, we’re highlighting four versatile kitchen staples: potatoes, chillies, apples and leeks.
Whether you’re catering for a care home, school or workplace, these ingredients offer plenty of opportunities to add seasonal appeal to your menus.
Potatoes: A Menu Staple with Endless Possibilities
Potatoes are one of the most versatile ingredients in any professional kitchen. As the weather starts to turn cooler, they provide the perfect base for hearty, comforting dishes.
Care homes: Think creamy mashed potato, cottage pie, potato-topped fish dishes and comforting soups.
Schools: Jacket potatoes with a choice of fillings, homemade wedges and potato-topped pies are familiar favourites that can help bring variety to the menu.
Corporate hospitality: Take the humble potato up a level with dauphinoise potatoes, crispy roasted new potatoes or stylish mini potato canapés.
A simple change in how potatoes are prepared can give a familiar menu a fresh seasonal feel.
Turn Up the Heat with Chillies
Chillies are a great way to add flavour and interest to dishes. From mild warmth to a little more heat, they can be used across a wide range of cuisines.
Care homes: Use chillies carefully to add gentle warmth and flavour to soups, sauces and casseroles.
Schools: Add mild chilli to popular dishes such as chilli con carne, curries and Mexican-inspired meals, with the heat level tailored to your diners.
Corporate hospitality: Chillies can add impact to everything from vibrant street-food-inspired dishes to marinades, dressings and sharing plates.
Fresh chillies can be a simple way to introduce new flavours without completely changing your menu.
Apples: Not Just for Dessert
September is a great time to make apples the star of the menu. Naturally versatile, they work just as well in savoury dishes as they do in classic desserts.
Care homes: Apple crumble, stewed apple and apple sponge are comforting favourites that bring a real taste of the season.
Schools: Try apple crumbles, apple cakes, fruit salads or serve sliced apple as part of a healthy snack or dessert offering.
Corporate hospitality: Think beyond the traditional crumble with apple slaws, apple and pork dishes, autumn salads and elegant desserts.
Apples are an easy ingredient to use across the menu, from breakfast through to dessert.
Leeks: A Taste of Autumn
Leeks are a fantastic ingredient for adding flavour, colour and seasonal appeal to autumn dishes. Their mild, savoury flavour makes them particularly versatile across catering sectors.
Care homes: Leek and potato soup, creamy leek sauces and comforting pies are ideal for the season.
Schools: Add leeks to pasta dishes, pies, soups and vegetable sides to introduce extra flavour and variety.
Corporate hospitality: Leeks can be used in sophisticated tarts, risottos, seasonal soups and as an accompaniment to meat and fish dishes.
They pair particularly well with other September favourites, making them an easy addition to your autumn menu planning.
Make Seasonal Changes Simple
Refreshing your menu for the new season doesn’t mean starting from scratch. Often, a few simple ingredient swaps or seasonal specials can make a big difference.
Why not try:
- Potato and leek soup as a warming lunch option
- Apple crumble as a comforting September dessert
- Mild chilli con carne for a school or workplace menu
- Roasted potatoes and leeks as a seasonal side dish
- Apple and pork dishes for an autumn-inspired corporate menu
- Leek and potato-topped pies for a comforting care home classic
Small seasonal changes can help keep your menus fresh, give diners something new to enjoy and make the most of the fantastic fresh produce available throughout the year.
Fresh Produce, Delivered by Trevors
At Trevors Foodservice, we supply fresh fruit and vegetables to caterers across a wide range of sectors.
From everyday kitchen essentials to seasonal ingredients that can help inspire your next menu change, our fresh produce range is here to support your catering needs.
Looking to refresh your menu this September? Get in touch with the Trevors team to find out more about our fresh fruit and vegetable range and how we can help keep your kitchen stocked with quality seasonal produce.
