Essential Tips for Planning Your Catering Menu

When you are planning on hosting an event, one of the first things you need to figure out is your menu. Even if you are hiring event catering, many of the decisions will be up to you. Here are some tips to keep in mind when figuring out a good menu for the event and the guests.

Look for Balance

A good catered meal has just the right amount of balance. You want to provide a wide assortment of main courses and hors d'oeuvres, and desserts. Remember that you are not just offering food for one type of person, but many different tastes and preferences. For the entree, you should have multiple options instead of just one entree everyone is meant to eat. Also, provide more options for other parts of the menu, such as serving different types of condiments on the side, having different options for salad dressing, and offering a combination of indulgent and healthy desserts.

Consider the Length of the Event

One thing people don't often consider when it comes to planning a catered event is how long that event is expected to go on for. There is a big difference between a cocktail party that only lasts a couple hours to a business event that is meant to last nearly all day. Keep in mind that the longer people are at the event, the more they will eat and drink. This not only helps you plan for the right amount of food, but the type of food and drinks to serve. A dinner party only needs dinner, hors d'ouevres, coffee, and drinks. An all-day event should have more appetizers, side dishes, and snacks, along with multiple types of drink choices.

Create a Guest Profile

One thing many caterers do when planning a meal is create a guest profile. While there will be different types of guests, create a profile that describes the majority of the guests for the event. It should include the circles these people run in, what their professional level is, and what the ethnic background is for the majority of the guests. A guest profile also includes how often they attend these types of events, if they tend to drink alcoholic beverages at events, and where most of them live. These details may seem small, but they make a big impact when planning a meal around the guests.

Think About the Season

It is not uncommon to start planning a big event months in advance, but remember the season of the event to plan the right menu. If it is currently a hot month in the fall, you might be thinking about cool, refreshing drinks and cold salads, but what if the event is to occur during the winter season? Your guests will be thinking about hot soups and savory dishes. Also keep in mind that certain ingredients will be fresh according tot he region and season, so do some research when planning the meal.


Share