Small bites, just right: Mini-sized meals a good deal for consumers and businesses
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Coconut Ceviche ready to be snapped up in "spoons" from In the Kitchen in the Strip District.
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For more than two decades, Eat'n Park's Smiley cookie flashed a broad 4-inch grin and weighed in at a hefty 56 grams. But after 25 years, Smiley's been downsized.
In December, Eat'n Park rolled out a mini Smiley cookie that measures just 2 1/2 inches across and weighs less than half of the original. Children (or their parents) can choose the original, the mini or an apple for their after-meal treat.
The fact that the mini version of this Pittsburgh icon has been "overwhelmingly popular" proves that when it comes to food, it's now hip to be small.
From mini-Blizzards at Dairy Queen to cake pops at Starbucks, restaurants are rolling out bite-sized offerings in hopes of piquing the taste buds of fickle diners who increasingly are watching their waistlines and wallets.
The trend isn't limited to desserts. Industry trend watcher Andrew Freeman and Co., a San Francisco and New York based consulting agency, named mini-sizing one of 2010's hottest trends. Creative chefs are shrinking everything from pizzas and hot dogs to lasagnas and burritos. At Hough's Bar and Restaurant in Greenfield, diners can even dig in to mini pierogies.
Small is big at the grocery store, too. Food manufacturers have jumped on the trend by introducing a variety of miniaturized product versions such as Keebler's 100 Calorie Right Bites cookies and Ben and Jerry's even-less-than-pint-sized, 3.6-ounce ice cream cartons.
In the cereal aisle, Kellogg's has shrunken its Mini-Wheats into Mini-Wheats Little Bites. In the bread section, Pepperidge Farm has cut the bagel down to size with its line of mini bagels. And if you need a schmear with that mini bagel, Kraft's Philly Minis might be just the right size.
The advantages of going mini are multiple. Small sizes help diners manage their budgets, caloric intake and tastebuds.
"Diners get to sample. They get to try a lot of different things, so they don't get bored," said Tim Ryan, a former Pittsburgh resident and president of the Culinary Institute of America.
Like most trends, mini sizing isn't entirely new. Tapas, or small plates, have been ubiquitous in Spanish cuisine for centuries. And mini sizing has long been popular in the catering business, where it's important that food be easy to hold and easy to eat. With the popularity of sliders and tapas bars, American restaurants and chefs are seizing the opportunity to take mini mainstream.
First Published June 9, 2011 12:00 am
