# Scratch-Made Harvest Dishes Dig Inn's Fall Menu Turns Produce into Group Meals By Adam Harrie | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-09-29 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scratch-made-harvest-dishes References: [prnewswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dig-inn-names-dylan-mendelsohn-as-culinary-director-with-new-menu-debuting-this-fall-302891126.html) & [diginn](https://www.diginn.com/)  Dig Inn is giving diners a [fresh fall menu](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pret-a-manger-fall-menu) designed to make lunch, dinner, and group orders feel more seasonal, with 8 additions shaped by new Culinary Director Dylan Mendelsohn. Available now at all locations across the country through the end of the year, the [fast-casual range](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2026-summer-menu) leans on in-house prep and vegetable-led cooking. Mendelsohn joins the role from Life Alive Cafe and Eleven Madison Park. Two dishes clearly set the menu's mood. 'Delicata Squash with Maple Tahini' offers a sweet-savory vegetable side, while 'Hudson Valley Apples with Chai Yogurt' turns local fruit into a brighter, Waldorf-style option, allowing the lineup to swing between comfort food and a crisper salad plate. The menu also extends to family meals and catering packages for larger orders. For shoppers, this means one fast-casual stop can handle a desk lunch, an at-home dinner, or a shared office order without resorting to the usual heavy fall formula. It also nudges [seasonal fast-casual menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stonefire-grill-seasonal-menu) toward produce-first comfort rather than meat-and-starch by default. Image Credit: DIG INN ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.0/10 - Popularity: 55% | Activity: 30% | Freshness: 94% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Produce-first Comfort:** Seasonal vegetables are becoming the centerpiece of hearty fast-casual meals, creating room for menus that feel indulgent without relying on meat-heavy or starch-led formats. - **Scratch-made Fast Casual:** In-house preparation is elevating quick-service dining with fresher textures and chef-driven flavor combinations that differentiate everyday meals from standardized chain offerings. - **Flexible Group Meals:** Fast-casual menus that work across lunch, dinner, catering, and family orders reflect growing demand for versatile meal platforms suited to hybrid work and home dining routines. ### Where This Applies - **Fast-casual Dining:** Chef-led seasonal menus are reshaping competitive positioning by blending convenience with restaurant-quality produce preparations and localized flavor cues. - **Corporate Catering:** Office meal programs have space for lighter, shareable seasonal dishes that support group ordering without defaulting to conventional sandwich, pizza, or heavy comfort-food spreads. - **Prepared Foods:** Retail and restaurant operators can differentiate ready-to-eat offerings through harvest-inspired sides, fruit-forward salads, and vegetable-led meal components with premium freshness cues. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [QSR Fall Harvest Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/autumn-harvest-bowl.md) - [Health-Focused Summer Menu Overhauls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/market-bowl.md) - [New Health-Focused Restaurant Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/saladworks-new-menu.md) - [Shareable Fall Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shareable-fall-menus.md) - [Autumn Pizza Lineups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-signature-pizzas.md) - [Health-Focused Spring Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/salad-and-go1.md) - [Wholesome Autumnal Deli Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jasons-deli-fall-menu.md) - [Seasonal Wellness Eatery Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/season-of-strength-menu.md) - [Destination-Inspired Fall Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/autumn-in-kyoto.md)