There’s little worse than waiting out a long meeting with a rumbling stomach, only to find a sad tray of catered sandwiches awaiting you at lunchtime. Food plays an important role in many peoples lives and this is an important fact to remember when planning your corporate catering menu.
If you’re looking to break free from the ordinary and do something different for the catering at your next meeting or corporate event, you’re going to want to check out these four trendy corporate catering menu ideas.
1. Fresh and Local Cuisine
It’s one of the biggest trends in the food world right now. The words fresh and local are buzzing and can be seen everywhere from restaurant menus to farmers' markets, so it’s only natural that this trend is also being reflected in the corporate catering world.
Incorporating fresh, local foods into your corporate catering menu can be a great way to showcase seasonal produce, open everyone’s eyes to the foods available around them and keep everyone energized during your corporate event. Using fresh, flavourful ingredients over rich, heavy foods will score high praise and keep everyone satisfied and powered through long meetings and events.
2. Bite Size Beauties
Snack size foods are always fun. One of the trendiest corporate catering themes right now is taking our favourite foods and making them into delicious, bite-size versions.
If you’re planning a large-scale event or corporate cocktail reception and need a corporate catering menu that’s fun, easy to eat and delicious, consider making the move to minis. Think gourmet sliders, stuffed meatballs, mini crab cakes, one-bite antipasto skewers, and oyster shooters. The beauty of this catering trend is everything comes in its own little vessel to make it easier for guests to mingle without being weighed down with cutlery and a large plate.
3. Ethnic Inspired
What could be more fun than taking your attendees on a lunchtime journey to Vietnam or India? Planning an ethnic menu is a great way to step outside the ordinary and peak your guests interest with something unexpected.
Vietnamese street food is hugely popular right now and still includes many familiar flavours that people know and love. Banh mi sandwiches can be served along side cold rice paper rolls, spicy noodles and you could even get playful with some Pho shooters.
For an Indian-inspired menu, try charred tandoori chicken with an assortment of vegetable and meat curries, served with rice, naan, and fresh cucumber salad. Just make sure you keep the curries mild to please everyone and serve hot sauce on the side.
4. DIY Sandwich Bar
Sandwiches are a popular lunchtime meeting option for a corporate catering menu, but often, they leave a lot to be desired. This doesn’t have to be the case though.
Say bye to boring sandwiches and spice up your next catered lunch with a DIY sandwich bar featuring artisanal breads, fresh vegetables, locally produced meats and cheeses, and an assortment of creative spreads and topping options. You can even include a few griddles or sandwich presses for people to grill their creations to toasted perfection.
This option provides a fun break for everyone and a chance to be creative and make the ultimate customized sandwich of their dreams. Pair this with a bar of fresh juices or smoothies and you’ve got a lunch time menu that will leave everyone satisfied.
