4 Fantastic Alternative Catering Options for Your Event

Back in the olden days before I became self-employed and before working in a corporate environment became putting a smart blouse on when using Skype I had to attend a number of work meetings, functions and conferences. Once or twice I even had to arrange such events which is the stuff of nightmares for me (I don’t even do birthday parties!).

I’ve had this useful guest post written to me which might hopefully help some of you out there who struggle with catering ideas for events, work or otherwise. They would have come in handy for me in the past!

 

4 Fantastic Alternative Catering Options for Your Event

 

 

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There’s something about conferences and events that makes people hungry. Maybe it’s all the rushing around from one meeting or presentation to the next. Maybe it’s all the effort of keeping your brain engaged for hours at a time and soaking up all that expert knowledge. Or maybe it’s just that for some strange reason when you sit around all day your body seems to want to stock up on carbs and sugars for no good reason.

Whatever causes conference hunger, you need to make sure that you provide adequate food and drink for attendees. But don’t just opt for simple sandwiches or a finger buffet. It’s safe, easy and usually quite cheap, all things that appeal to an event organiser stretched to breaking point but remember that attendees will do most of their networking over their food. If you provide something a little different then you’ll give them a talking point to get the networking machine in motion, and also keep the energy up for the afternoon sessions.

Here are four fantastic alternatives to the usual fare.

1.       Here Piggy, Piggy. Probably not one for an indoor event in the meeting rooms of a hotel on the edges of Slough, but if you’re holding something a bit more extravagant a hog roast is an excellent idea. Because this tends to be quite complicated to put on it’s best to use this for the evening meal at an overnight conference.
2.        Anyone For Tea? For short events or an afternoon session then a traditional cream tea is great for giving everyone an energy kick. Get in some locally-baked fruit scones, and supply clotted cream and an assortment of preserves for a deliciously sweet afternoon treat. Make sure you’ve got plenty of hot tea and coffee and use some proper china and silverware for that added element of class.
3.       Honey I Shrunk The Burger. Why not provide proper meals but in miniature format? Tiny burgers, mini fish and chips and petite pizzas are great alternatives to sandwiches and can offer a talking point as guests try them out. Because they’re small it also means that people can try a few options and continue to mingle with ease.
4.       Choc-tastic. If you want to provide some sweet snacks then why not opt for a chocolate fountain. These always make a great centrepiece and gets people around it together so it’s great for stimulating conversation. Make sure there is a good selection of dipping options, from strawberries and bananas to marshmallows and Turkish delight.

Food at an event can be so much more than functional sustenance to stop rumbling tummies. By opting for something a bit different not only will attendees have food that leaves them satisfied it can also lead to some great networking time. This means they will have a positive reaction to the event which is great for you and future events.

This article was provided by events management company Banks Sadler. For more tips and guides to help you run and market your events, check out there event management resource blog here.