Nearly half of U.S. diners say they would spend more for meals at foodservice locations that limit food waste. Unilever Food Solutions’ World Menu Report sparks a new program and website to encourage sharing of best practices within the foodservice industry.

Unilever Food Solutions’ latest World Menu Report, “Sustainable Kitchens: Reducing Food Waste,” demonstrates that the issue of food waste hits a nerve with U.S. consumers who eat out at least once a week. Nearly 80% of U.S. diners surveyed express concern about the amount of food thrown away every day in restaurants, cafeterias and other away-from-home venues. A single restaurant in the United States can produce 25,000 to 75,000 pounds of food waste in a year depending on the size of the establishment, according to an extensive analysis of restaurants by the Boston-based Green Restaurant Association (GRA).

Mintel predicts five foodservice trends that will shape restaurant menus in 2012.

Competition in the foodservice industry is always fierce, and restaurant chains are constantly jockeying for business, money and attention in an overcrowded marketplace. In 2012, however, five trends outlined by Mintel Menu Insights will shape how operators appeal to their customers with regional and imported menu options, double-sided menus, customization and time-intensive preparation methods.

Eric Giandelone, foodservice director at Mintel, notes the following: “Our trends are designed to give both restaurant operators and food suppliers a thorough understanding of what’s coming in the foodservice industry. Our trends are based on original consumer research, developments among restaurants and trends observed in other industries. Our goal with these trend predictions isn’t merely to identify what’s going to happen, but to deliver a roadmap on how to take advantage of these trends.”

Despite little change over 20 years in the healthfulness of the foods we consume, more Americans rank their diets worse. Are we more receptive today to dietary guidance?

The obesity trend is significantly influenced by socioeconomic factors, such as income level and race/ethnicity that create complex questions for the food industry. There remains a clear relationship between household financial resources and diet perception: People who rate their diets as “excellent” tend to come from households with greater financial resources than those who rate their diets as “poor.”

Technomic finds ample growth opportunities for restaurants serving the first daypart.

While breakfast sales have grown steadily for restaurants, retailers and suppliers over the past few years, consumer data shows that the market is not yet saturated and there are still plenty of opportunities within this category. Technomic estimates the breakfast segment accounts for 12% of the total restaurant industry, generating around $42 billion in annual sales.

Breakfast patronage is up at foodservice locations, particularly fast-food restaurants, where 46% of 1,500 consumers surveyed now occasionally purchase weekday breakfasts compared to just 33% in 2009.

From social networking’s impact on success to a greater emphasis on in-house rustic fare to save cost, Technomic predicts the biggest influences on U.S. restaurants next year.

Just as the nation's economic forecast includes mixed signals, restaurants across the United States face a varied landscape of expected trends in 2012. Technomic, the leading foodservice research and consulting firm, sees these seven developments making news in the coming year:

1. Consumers Seek a Twist on the Familiar. Shell-shocked consumers are in no mood to take risks, but novel flavors still tingle their taste buds. Look for comfort foods with a twist (gourmet, ethnic, artisan, wood-fired) as well as innovation in familiar formats (sandwiches, wraps, pizza, pasta) rather than breakout items taken from less-familiar global cuisines.