Event Meal Planning

Event Meal Planning can be a critical part of your planning process—and a large one. From choosing the food and drinks to managing the cost, it can be a huge headache. We’ve got five tips to help you make it a little easier.

1. Know your guests.

Nothing spoils an event faster than a catered dinner that no one enjoys. When planning your event, keep your guests in mind. What kind of dining experience are they expecting? If you’ve chosen a buffet style, are your guests going to be comfortable? Have you taken into account mobility needs, allergies, and allotted appropriate time? If this is a seated dinner, are you allowing your guests to choose their seats, or have they been assigned? Have you made every effort to ensure seating assignments are made with the guests’ comfort in mind? Ticking these boxes helps to ensure a pleasurable dining experience for your guests.

2. Offer choices

While it is impossible to account for the dislikes and preferences of every guest, offering choices is essential. If you cannot offer more than two choices at a seated dinner, it is better to choose a mild protein, like chicken, rather than beef or fish, and a vegetarian option. At a buffet-style dinner, try to offer different styles, textures, and types of food for your guests to choose from.

3. Anticipate dietary needs (and plan for them!)

Though you may not discover any specific food allergies or dietary restrictions prior to the event, there is always the possibility that a guest either forgot to include the information in their RSVP, or the information was lost in translation. Anticipating dietary needs—be it vegetarian, gluten intolerance, or others—allows for a level of comfort among your guests.

4. Don’t forget the cocktails!

Alcoholic or not, an interesting drink perfectly rounds out a meal. Create something unique and give it a memorable name.

5. Presentation is key

People eat with their eyes first. Even the simplest dinner can wow your guests with a clean, interesting presentation. Add these well-presented plates to a sharp table setting and your guests’ eyes will feast.

Meal planning is one of our favorite parts of the event planning process. And not just because we get to taste a bunch of yummy food. Contact us today to have us assist your next big event.