Every business meeting is made better with good food. Whether it’s a quick lunch meeting where you want to give your staff tasty sandwich options or you want lots of delicious self-serve options for your next quarterly meeting, choosing the menu is a fun but occasionally challenging task. At Green Mill Restaurant & Bar, we make it easy. Choose from our top office meeting food ideas to make your next meeting productive and satisfying.
Appetizers
If you have a business meeting at non-traditional mealtime hours, that doesn’t mean you can’t provide some snacks and appetizers to liven things up. Opt for easy finger foods that are quiet, convenient, and won’t get in the way of work. Some of our most popular options include platters of mini sliders, dips, tiny skewers with meat, fruit, or vegetables, and even sweet treats. Look for work food that won’t drip and doesn’t require both hands to hold or eat. A few one or two-bite appetizers will do the trick.
Main Dishes
When you have a big lunchtime meeting on the itinerary, put out a tasty spread—especially if you want to minimize disruption from employees needing to take another lunch at atypical hours. Here are some great office meeting food ideas:
- Self-serve buffets: Ordering packages designed for larger groups with different proteins, sides, and desserts means everyone can make a plate they enjoy. If you overorder, you have leftovers for staff to enjoy throughout the day or take home for dinner. Just be sure to coordinate delivery and setup before the meeting begins so everyone has time to grab a plate and settle in.
Sandwiches: When you have a big group, or the meeting is interactive, opt for contained foods like sandwiches. Order a variety of options (or take a poll), and set them out near the door to the meeting room. You can make the meal more robust with chips or crackers and drinks.
Drinks
Drinks are essential to a great meeting menu. For morning meetings, bring in carafes of coffee with creamers, sugar, and flavorful additions—just be sure to bring tea, juice, and water options for your attendees who don’t drink coffee. For lunch and afternoon meetings, we also can provide a variety of caffeinated and non-caffeinated drinks. If you choose drinks that store well, then you always have something ready for the next meeting.
Box Lunches
Sometimes, good food can feel like it’ll get in the way of a good meeting, either due to logistics, distractions, or messiness. Box lunches solve the problem. Order self-contained meals with a main dish (like a sandwich or salad), chips, and a small dessert. Then, you can set out the boxes at everyone’s tables and get straight to work—attendees can even decide if they want to eat at the meeting or save it for later.
Box lunches also solve concerns about cross-contamination, especially during flu season or if you have attendees with food allergies.
Tips for Organizing Meeting Food
The first time you’re in charge of organizing food for a meeting can be stressful. Use these tips to make it run more smoothly:
- Book your caterer early. Give them an estimate of the number of meals and the type of food you’ll need. This streamlines the process and minimizes the risk of delays.
- Survey the attendees for allergies and dietary needs. Consider different constraints like foodborne and airborne allergies, dietary restrictions, and taste preferences. Have this information on file or confirm it for each attendee before each meeting.
- Choose things that can sit out. Temperature-sensitive foods may not be a good fit for your meeting unless you have the supplies to keep things warm and ready. After all, food may sit out during a work session, and it’s always better to have food delivered a little early than a little late. Work with your caterer to discuss options and food safety!
Make Your Next Business Meeting Meal Easy With Green Mill Restaurant & Bar
At Green Mill Restaurant & Bar, we serve delicious food at our restaurant and at businesses like yours. Reach out today to tell us about your next meeting and get your office meeting food ideas finalized.