Bakery café chain Au Bon Pain, Boston, introduced a line of “small plate” menu items that each contain 200 calories or less. Called Portions, the new line is available this month in 180 of the chain's 226 cafes. Similar to the 100-calorie packs introduced by Nabisco's Oreo and other bakery manufacturers a few years ago, Au Bon Pain's Portions line caters to consumers' continued demand for smaller portion sizes and more healthful food options.

The line, which consists of 14 items, range in price from $2.99 for non-meat items and $3.49 for dishes with meat. “We're viewing this as a whole new category, not a new product,” said Marketing Director Ed Frechette in a company release. “We think this is the way people are going to eat. We have high hopes for what Portions can do.”