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Breakfast Is Being Served
A good breakfast meeting can be productive and motivating. But they take planning like any good meeting. Here are a few quick tips that can help.
Send out an agenda.
This helps people prepare for the meeting and gives them confidence that work will be done.
Serve coffee and breakfast before the meeting starts. This gives people a chance to say hello, catch up and get comfortable. It also gives added incentive to attendees to get there before the official meeting begins.
Make the food memorable. A good start to the day makes one more productive.
Set a firm start time for the meeting and stick to it. Nothing disrupts meetings like late arrivals. Don’t wait around for everyone to arrive. Start on time. After one or two meetings, people will understand you are serious and get there on time.
End the meeting on time. Everyone has a busy day planned and overly long meetings are simply inconsiderate. Limit the meeting to a set time. Start on time, stick to the agenda and end on time. People will appreciate your punctuality and focus.
The menu. Breakfast does not have to be boring. Start the day off right with one of the many hot or cold menu options from Urban Kitchen.
Lunch Meetings
For hors d’oeuvres, plan on 2-4 per person. Offer a main entrée (about 5 oz) with 2-3 sides, including a starch and a dessert. Offer a selection of drinks, including pop, juice, lemon water, etc. If you’re having sandwiches, allow for 1-2 per person.
Before you start:
- Offer at least two choices of entrées
- Offer three or more salad dressing options
- Serve all condiments on the side
- Offer two dessert options: one very indulgent, one healthy
Select a menu that fits the event schedule
- Boxed Lunches: best if you have 30 minutes or are on the go
- Plated Meals: usually require at least 1.5 hours
- Buffets: may be finished in about 1 hour
Anticipate special needs
- Food allergies
- Religious requirements
- Dietary restrictions
- Allow for comfortable room setup Choose an appropriate room layout, one that supports your event objectives.
- Boardroom setup for a maximum of 15 guests
- U-shape and rectangle table layout to promote discussion
- Classroom style is great for a presentation
- Banquet style promotes small group discussions
Dinner Meetings
Have 3-5 hors d’oeuvres per person, depending on the number of courses. Plan on a main entrée (5-7 oz) and 2-3 sides, either veggies, beans, pasta, etc. Offer small portions of bread, salad, or soup. Always have water, along with other beverages.
Before you start:
- Offer at least two choices of entrées
- Offer three or more salad dressing options
- Serve all condiments on the side
- Offer two dessert options: one very indulgent, one healthy
Select a menu that fits the event schedule
- Plated Meals: usually require at least 1.5 hours
- Buffets: may be finished in about 1 hour
- Cocktail receptions: require a minimum of 1 hour before dinner
Anticipate special needs
- Food allergies
- Religious requirements
- Dietary restrictions
- Allow for comfortable room setup Choose an appropriate room layout, one that supports your event objectives.
- Boardroom setup for a maximum of 15 guests
- U-shape and rectangle table layout to promote discussion
- Classroom style is great for a presentation
- Banquet style promotes small group discussions
Healthier Meetings
We’ve all attended meetings where the main source of nutrition has been either donuts or pizza. While tasty as an occasional treat, this type of food can not only have a harmful long-term effect on our health, but can also have a negative impact on our meeting and work productivity. What we eat and drink at meetings is directly related to how well we feel, the right food gives us energy so we can work better and be more productive.
The key to having healthier meetings is moderation and choice. Not all foods offered at meetings need to be low fat, low salt or heart healthy. Just make a conscious effort to always offer more healthier choices and less choices that are not.
People function better if they are properly fueled. Offer food at longer meetings or meeting that are held during what would normally be a meal-time. Always have plenty of water available
- Between 7:30 and 9:00am
- Between 11:30 and 1:00pm
- After 4:30 or 5:00pm
If you are serving food at your meetings try serving foods from different food groups.
FRUIT & VEGETABLES
- Vegetables and Fruit are packed with good nutrition and are an extremely tempting choice. Order fruit or vegetable trays from Select Sandwich and ask for low fat dressings or Yogurt choices for dips.
- Provide 100% fruit or vegetable juices as well as water.
- Order vegetable soup or salad for lunch or as the start to a hot entrée.
- Order a vegetarian option for your hot entrée.
- Serve fruit platters for breakfast or dessert.
- Add raw or grilled or roasted vegetables to salads, sandwiches pastas and soups.
LOW FAT
- 2% or less milk with tea and coffee.
- 2% or less milk as a drink.
- Low fat yogurt cups or low fat cheese chunks or slices for snacks.
- Low fat dressings for salads
- Select Sandwich serves only Low fat Mayonnaise on all sandwiches.
HIGH PROTEIN
- High protein foods can help boost energy levels and keep us more alert for longer. To increase proteins without increasing fat try:
- Serving tuna, salmon, lean chicken, turkey, ham, beef or other lean meat.
- Offer bean soup or chili at lunch or humus for snacks with chopped vegetables or wholegrain crackers.
CARBOHYDRATES
Some carbohydrates such as white breads, rice and pastas, desserts and starch dishes can make us feel tired and unable to concentrate.
Other carbohydrates (complex) such as vegetables fruit and whole grains do just the opposite they provide our bodies with the long lasting fuel we need to function properly throughout the day. Try serving carbohydrates like:
- Wholegrain breads and bagels for breakfast.
- Brown rice and wholegrain pastas for hot meals or cold salads.
- Wholegrain bread or wraps for sandwiches.
- Wholegrain bars, muffins and crackers for snacks.