More and more people are affected by allergies, food intolerances and other dietary restrictions. This makes it challenging to satisfy everyone happy at your events and conferences.

Industry experts suggest to keep the following points in mind when ordering food for your events and conferences:

1. Practicality - No matter what the trends are, the food you offer needs to be practical: easy to eat (for example when standing and networking at the same time) and easy to digest.
2. Comfort – Stay away from foods that make people feel tired or bloated. And avoid foods that leave behind a strong smell, or tend to get stuck in people’s teeth.
3. Sustainability - Smaller portions reduce waste and make food service sustainable. One of the current trends is small bites, so guests can taste more items. Think of sliders, tapas, mezés etc.
4. Special Requests - Be prepared for to fulfill special meal requests: vegetarian, gluten free,  paleolithic diet, – you name it. And don’t forget meals suitable for diabetics.
5. Personal Touch - Live food stations allow you to serve the same meal to everyone and yet individuals can choose their own ingredients. Good examples are an omelette bar for breakfast and a stir fry bar for lunch.
6.  Frequent Breaks - Make sure to provide your attendees with enough fuel to stay focused during your meeting. Allow them to stretch their legs for a few minutes by scheduling frequent short snack breaks.
7. Combine Innovation with Simplicity - People always mention the quality of food when talking about events and conferences. Offer your guests something simple, yet innovative enough to be remembered.
8. Beverage Trends - No matter what other beverages are served, don’t forget water! And remember, some like it cold but some like it hot.
By Aila Karpio