Mushrooms aren’t merely having a moment. They’ve become a legit phenomenon. The evidence is everywhere: The New York Times’ 2022 “Ingredient of the Year” continues to top trend forecasts, including Whole Foods’ 2024 list, and fresh mushroom sales at retail have
climbed 20 percent in the last decade, demonstrating their enduring appeal among consumers today. In fact, consumer embrace of mushrooms’ flavor advantages, health benefits, versatility and sustainability story has made them an exciting element in fashion, functional foods, pop culture—and foodservice menus.

Simple, flavorful and oh-so-versatile, mushrooms are popping up on more menus every day. They’re topping more steaks, seafood and pizzas; stuffing more tacos; building more breakfast bowls and burgers; and inspiring more innovation in modern menu ideation. It’s high time to give this phenomenon a name and declare a day to rally ardent mushroom fans and continue to extend their passionate base.

Welcome to “Mushroom Monday.”

Mushroom Monday presents restaurants—from fine dining to fast food—with a perfect opportunity to take this momentum and run with it. By spotlighting mushroom-centric dishes on their special day, promoting a menu staple or creating an all-new dish, operators can give greater shape to this trend, further amplifying mushrooms’ reign as one of the nation’s most popular culinary ingredients.

“Think of it as Taco Tuesday’s next-door neighbor,” advises Pam Smith, RDN, Shaping America’s Plate, the Mushroom Council’s Food Service Strategist. “No matter your restaurant’s vibe, no matter your style, everyone has a popular mushroom dish. Mushroom Monday provides a compelling reason to invite guests to start their week with you and satisfy their mushroom cravings.”

Your customers enjoy a year-round love affair with mushrooms. That’s because mushrooms go with any season, whether it’s a sizzling summer burger blended with mushrooms, a favorite winter stew, a springtime portabella sub special or hearty deep- fried mushroom bites in the fall. There’s a place on your menu each and every Mushroom Monday to celebrate fresh mushrooms!

The Super ‘Shroom Pizza, along with the Super ‘Shroom Salad, anchored MOD Pizza’s successful “Make Room for ‘Shrooms” campaign.

PROPELLING THE ‘SHROOM BOOM

While chefs have long embraced mushrooms’ versatility, craveability and power as a go-to umami lifter, there are several specific drivers pushing fresh mushrooms into sharper culinary focus for restaurant brands across the country. Mushrooms provide a ready answer to multiple culinary trends and tap modern consumer values as brands continue to explore forward-leaning flavor strategies.

• Mushrooms play an essential role in plant-forward innovation, providing meat-like qualities and an inherent capability to carry and lift flavor—characteristics that bring them to the center of the plate and the center of creative menu development. “Plant-forward items that star mushrooms offer consumers a familiar, all-natural option that they can understand and get excited about,” says Smith.
• Chefs in all foodservice segments have discovered the power of mushrooms in “The
  Blend,” a culinary technique of combining fresh mushrooms with ground meat for burgers, meatballs, taco filling and other dishes. The results are nutritious and delicious.
• Heightened awareness by consumers in optimizing their health through menu items that feed the immune system have helped propel mushrooms into the limelight. They boast nutrients such as B vitamins, riboflavin, niacin, selenium and vitamin D, which have all been linked to immunity support.
• Researchers have named mushrooms the most sustainably grown agriculture product in the nation, requiring only a fraction of the resources needed to produce other foods. Mushrooms require very little space in which to flourish—1 million pounds of mushrooms can grow each year on just 1 acre of land. Plus, they use minimal water. “Mushrooms tell a fantastic climate-friendly story that operators can share with guests,” says Smith.

The tasty Port Mushrooms side from Firebirds Wood Fire Grill will soon be joined by the Au Jus Braised Mushrooms and Onions enhancement for steaks, seafood and burgers.

MUSHROOM MONDAY FAST FACTS

• Launching this spring, the campaign is developed and supported by the Mushroom Council^® in its mission to fuel the mushroom phenomenon and continue its expansion into the pop cultural zeitgeist.
• Representing the nation’s fresh mushroom producers, the Mushroom Council is the team that helped bring you the Blended Burger Project^®, which saw thousands of chefs adding delicious mushroom-meat burger blends to their menus.
• Mushroom Monday will be ongoing, year-round and is well-suited for the full spectrum of foodservice segments, from restaurants to C&U dining halls to non-commercial settings and retail.
• Participants will be able to access a foodservice operator kit that will feature free downloadable assets to support Mushroom Monday promotions, including the official logo artwork (for use on menus, ads, social posts, etc.) and point of sale assets.
• Throughout the year, the Mushroom Council will employ various outreach tactics to raise guest awareness about Mushroom Monday and participating restaurants.

BE A PART OF MUSHROOM MONDAY

Find our more at www.mushroomcouncil.com/mushroommonday and access the Foodservice Operator Program Kit for dynamic promotional support tools to amp up your Mushroom Monday celebrations.

Mushrooms aren’t merely having a moment. They’ve become a legit phenomenon. The evidence is everywhere: The New York Times’ 2022 “Ingredient of the Year” continues to top trend forecasts, including Whole Foods’ 2024 list, and fresh mushroom sales at retail have
climbed 20 percent in the last decade, demonstrating their enduring appeal among consumers today. In fact, consumer embrace of mushrooms’ flavor advantages, health benefits, versatility and sustainability story has made them an exciting element in fashion, functional foods, pop culture—and foodservice menus.

Simple, flavorful and oh-so-versatile, mushrooms are popping up on more menus every day. They’re topping more steaks, seafood and pizzas; stuffing more tacos; building more breakfast bowls and burgers; and inspiring more innovation in modern menu ideation. It’s high time to give this phenomenon a name and declare a day to rally ardent mushroom fans and continue to extend their passionate base.

Welcome to “Mushroom Monday.”

Mushroom Monday presents restaurants—from fine dining to fast food—with a perfect opportunity to take this momentum and run with it. By spotlighting mushroom-centric dishes on their special day, promoting a menu staple or creating an all-new dish, operators can give greater shape to this trend, further amplifying mushrooms’ reign as one of the nation’s most popular culinary ingredients.

“Think of it as Taco Tuesday’s next-door neighbor,” advises Pam Smith, RDN, Shaping America’s Plate, the Mushroom Council’s Food Service Strategist. “No matter your restaurant’s vibe, no matter your style, everyone has a popular mushroom dish. Mushroom Monday provides a compelling reason to invite guests to start their week with you and satisfy their mushroom cravings.”

Your customers enjoy a year-round love affair with mushrooms. That’s because mushrooms go with any season, whether it’s a sizzling summer burger blended with mushrooms, a favorite winter stew, a springtime portabella sub special or hearty deep- fried mushroom bites in the fall. There’s a place on your menu each and every Mushroom Monday to celebrate fresh mushrooms!

The Super ‘Shroom Pizza, along with the Super ‘Shroom Salad, anchored MOD Pizza’s successful “Make Room for ‘Shrooms” campaign.

PROPELLING THE ‘SHROOM BOOM

While chefs have long embraced mushrooms’ versatility, craveability and power as a go-to umami lifter, there are several specific drivers pushing fresh mushrooms into sharper culinary focus for restaurant brands across the country. Mushrooms provide a ready answer to multiple culinary trends and tap modern consumer values as brands continue to explore forward-leaning flavor strategies.

• Mushrooms play an essential role in plant-forward innovation, providing meat-like qualities and an inherent capability to carry and lift flavor—characteristics that bring them to the center of the plate and the center of creative menu development. “Plant-forward items that star mushrooms offer consumers a familiar, all-natural option that they can understand and get excited about,” says Smith.
• Chefs in all foodservice segments have discovered the power of mushrooms in “The
  Blend,” a culinary technique of combining fresh mushrooms with ground meat for burgers, meatballs, taco filling and other dishes. The results are nutritious and delicious.
• Heightened awareness by consumers in optimizing their health through menu items that feed the immune system have helped propel mushrooms into the limelight. They boast nutrients such as B vitamins, riboflavin, niacin, selenium and vitamin D, which have all been linked to immunity support.
• Researchers have named mushrooms the most sustainably grown agriculture product in the nation, requiring only a fraction of the resources needed to produce other foods. Mushrooms require very little space in which to flourish—1 million pounds of mushrooms can grow each year on just 1 acre of land. Plus, they use minimal water. “Mushrooms tell a fantastic climate-friendly story that operators can share with guests,” says Smith.

The tasty Port Mushrooms side from Firebirds Wood Fire Grill will soon be joined by the Au Jus Braised Mushrooms and Onions enhancement for steaks, seafood and burgers.

MUSHROOM MONDAY FAST FACTS

• Launching this spring, the campaign is developed and supported by the Mushroom Council^® in its mission to fuel the mushroom phenomenon and continue its expansion into the pop cultural zeitgeist.
• Representing the nation’s fresh mushroom producers, the Mushroom Council is the team that helped bring you the Blended Burger Project^®, which saw thousands of chefs adding delicious mushroom-meat burger blends to their menus.
• Mushroom Monday will be ongoing, year-round and is well-suited for the full spectrum of foodservice segments, from restaurants to C&U dining halls to non-commercial settings and retail.
• Participants will be able to access a foodservice operator kit that will feature free downloadable assets to support Mushroom Monday promotions, including the official logo artwork (for use on menus, ads, social posts, etc.) and point of sale assets.
• Throughout the year, the Mushroom Council will employ various outreach tactics to raise guest awareness about Mushroom Monday and participating restaurants.

BE A PART OF MUSHROOM MONDAY

Share details about your operation and the mushroom menu item(s) you plan to feature at www.mushroomcouncil.com/mushroommonday

Access the Foodservice Operator Program Kit for dynamic promotional support tools to amp up your Mushroom Monday celebrations.