The food you provide at your social events will be one of the biggest aspects of the evening for most guests, and if you do it right, hopefully one of the more memorable parts of your event as well. Food is a great social equalizer, bringing people together to have a good time. We have some fresh and exciting catering ideas that can help elevate your social events.
1. Unpredictable Options
While some classic and traditional dishes are certainly a good idea, there’s no reason to play it entirely safe at your upcoming social events. Adding unexpected food options is a great way to get guests excited about their meals.Literally spice up the event with new ideas!Throw in a few dishes that veer away from the more traditional fare. Guests will appreciate you mixing it up a little.
2. Signature Cocktails
Working with a bartender to come up with a personalized cocktail for your event is another great idea. A customized drink can both help solidify the theme of your party and make the event stand out for guests who will recognize the small touches and attention to detail that went into the event planning. Be creative—the names can be fun gags or make references to people and places the guests are familiar with.Garnish can bring your theme together with your cocktails!
3. Healthy Options
In the last few years the trend towards healthier food options has steadily increased, with more and more people opting for foods that are better for their health. Providing healthy options can be a great way to accommodate all guests as well as to provide alternatives to some of the more traditionally catered foods than guests have come to expect. Working with a caterer to come up with food options that are both delicious and nutritious is one of the catering ideas worth seriously considering.
4. Dessert Stations
While catered events used to have some variation of cake or cookies and tarts, fun dessert options have become increasingly popular, with people including everything from cupcakes to macaroons to donuts on their dessert menus. If you’re going to commit to some exciting dessert variations, consider doing dessert stations that are scattered throughout the event space. It will give guess an opportunity to make their way around the room and connect with more people; it’s also a great way to make sure no particular area is overly crowded.
5. A Food Theme
Food themes are one of our favourite catering ideas for social events. Great parties feel unified and put together, and a consistent theme can help you achieve this sought-after sense of completeness. A theme to consider is regional food, from Italian cuisine to Middle Eastern dishes.A food theme can help make the party reach a cohesive feel when included in the overall theme of the event.
6. Creative Presentation
Regardless of how you choose to organize the food at your event, the presentation should always be a priority. Presentation counts for a lot more than we often give it credit for; poorly presented food can convey a sense of disorganization and can hamper guests’ excitement for their meals. Make the food look as amazing as it tastes.Work with your caterer to come up with efficient and creative ways to present the food at your social events.
7. Interactive Chef Stations
This is one of those catering ideas you’re likely to have seen popping up in various places over the last few years. Like other ideas on our list, interactive chef stations are on trend as one of the best ways to spice up your party. They’re great for social events because not only do they provide food, but they provide entertainment as well. Depending on the size of your party, the lines for food can get pretty long; interactive chef stations work to break up the concentration of people in one area and give guests something to watch as they wait for their food.
