Food is an integral part of any sports event and outdoor events are no exception.
Whether it’s a day at the ballpark, a soccer tournament on the weekend, or a charity bike tour, having tasty and easy-to-eat meals can make all the difference not only for athletes but for the spectators and volunteers too.
Boxed meals are the ideal option for outdoor sporting events as they’re portable, easy to eat on the move, and can be customized to fulfill various dietary needs. So let’s take a look at 7 box lunch catering ideas for outdoor sporting events and what you need to communicate to your caterer.
The best box lunch ideas for catering for sporting events
Here are some box lunch ideas for catering to athletes and spectators are outdoor sporting events:
1. The Ever-Popular Sandwich
It’s substantial and filling, and it can be customized to suit different tastes. In your lunch boxes, include some tasty sandwiches. You can use turkey, ham, or roast beef, together with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise as fillings on any bread options your caterer provides.
To add more portability to the mix as well as a more finger-friendly food approach, serve the sandwich in a wrap rather than traditional bread.
2.The Beloved Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is another delicious choice that is perfectly suitable for an on-the-go box lunch. It’s an excellent source of protein and you can easily customize it to be more healthy, depending on the preferences of the participants.
For a healthy meal, you can choose chicken breast, low-fat mayonnaise, celery, grapes, and some chopped nuts or any other healthy fillings that your caterer offers. Serve the chicken salad with romaine lettuce in a wrap, and the meal is complete.
3. The Refreshing Summer Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is a good choice for a summer sporting event because it’s quite light, refreshing, and easy to eat. When it comes to pasta salad, the options are boundless; you can always customize it in a manner that suits your guests and athletes’ preferences and dietary needs.
Along with the pasta salad, ask your caterer to add potato salad to the menu too—since it’s a very popular dish for outside parties.
4. The Healthy Vegetarian Wrap
Vegetarian choices are becoming very popular, even at sporting events. There are many great vegetarian lunch box options to choose from, such as a healthy veggie wrap. A veggie wrap is a good choice for a box lunch, because it’s portable, convenient to eat, and can be packed with any desired taste.
You may even ask your caterer to add a healthy garden salad on the side to make the box more filling.
5. The Sweet and Savory Snack Box
If you’re looking for a lighter alternative, you may want to offer a sweet and savory snack box instead of a traditional boxed lunch. This is ideal for shorter events or for spectators and athletes who may not be ready to go through a fully-cooked meal.
Your snack box could include a variety of sweet and savory options, such as:
- Roast beef
- Hamburgers
- Chicken tenders
- Cookies and brownies
Make sure to ask your caterer about what other items you can include in the sweet and savory lunch box.
6. The Kiddy Lunchbox
If you’re expecting kids to be present at your outdoor sporting event, you may want to create a kid-friendly lunchbox.
Here are a few menu items that you can include in this special lunch box:
- Mini pasta salad
- Sliced chicken, turkey, or ham
- Sandwiches
- Brownies
- Cupcakes
- Fruit salad
7. The Allergy-Free Lunchbox
Chances are that some people attending your sports event, including some athletes, may have special dietary restrictions due to food allergies.
With this in mind, you should ask your caterer to put together a lunchbox that includes types of food that don’t contain common allergens, like nuts and dairy.
The details you need to communicate to your caterer
Here’s what you need to discuss with potential caterers to ensure a smooth and successful experience:
1. Event Details
- Date, time, and location: This will help the caterer plan out transport and set up logistics.
- Expected number of guests: Knowing the number of guests helps the caterer to make a precise calculation of the amount of food needed and staffing levels.
- Event schedule: Give a timeline of the event; for instance, when there will be breaks and competition periods. This will be useful for the caterer during planning delivery and setup.
2. Food and Beverage
- Menu selection: Talk about your preferred boxed lunch choices or dietary requirements. Also, be open to suggestions from your caterer.
- Dietary restrictions: Let the caterer know about any allergies or dietary restrictions that need to be taken into account.
- Beverages: Choose whether or not the package should include beverages. The caterer may provide water, juice boxes, sports drinks, or even water bottles.
- Budget: Be open and honest about your budget. Caterers can assist you with arranging a menu that is customized to your requirements while staying within your financial restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some commonly asked questions about boxed lunch catering:
1. Is ordering more boxed lunches than required a bad idea?
Not necessarily. Having extra boxed lunches can be useful if last-minute guests arrive at the event.
2. Should I set up a table for the boxed lunches or hand them out to guests?
It would be best to keep the lunchboxes on a table so that people can take them whenever they want. In this case, it would be a good idea to have a member of the catering staff oversee the lunch table to make sure each guest only takes one boxed lunch.
3. What types of boxes should I use?
It would be best to use biodegradable boxes made from paper or cardboard. Make sure you don’t opt for catering companies that use plastic containers.
Speak to caterers for more box lunch ideas for catering
If you want some great box lunch ideas for catering, you might want to speak with a good caterer. A reliable catering company comes with a lot of experience in managing outdoor sporting events, so they can suggest some of the best lunch box ideas for such events.
Get in touch with a good caterer with a boxed lunch catering menu today!
