When preparing food for a memorial service at a funeral, some factors should be taken into account, such as family traditions, preferences, and even culture.
The favorite meals of your loved one would be an especially good choice too.
After every service, it’s a tradition in most cultures to gather for a meal and to share stories. Those who have traveled to pay their respects can get together and share memories of their loved one, and offer support to one another.
When planning a funeral, hiring a professional caterer can help reduce some of the stress you have. After all, losing a loved one is one of the hardest things one can experience. The last thing on your mind is planning a funeral reception, cooking, and cleaning up afterward.
Here are a few funeral catering ideas to ease your burden.
1. Appetizers
Funeral services are held to honor and celebrate the life of the deceased. It’s best, therefore, to keep it simple and enjoyable. If you have a smaller number of guests, it’s best to have finger foods such as mini sliders or mini sausage rolls.
Finger foods enable guests to occasionally choose a small serving while still taking the time to honor the life of a loved one with other guests.
2. Trays and Platters
During a funeral, not many are looking to have an entire meal at the service, so it’s always nice to serve something easy to carry around while mingling with other guests.
Fruit platters or even mini chicken and ham sandwich trays would be perfect. They contain an assortment of options that will keep everyone full.
3. Salads
Make sure that your funeral catering menu also caters to the needs of attendees who have dietary restrictions and personal preferences. To avoid leaving anyone out, ask your funeral caterer to serve up a wide range of salads and other vegetarian options.
A simple yet flavor-filled chicken caesar salad or a crisp apple salad, with crunchy, cinnamon-spiced pecans, creamy goat cheese, and pops of pomegranate seeds would be a lovely addition to the salad spread.
4. Buffet
A simple build-your-own-buffet menu offers a wide variety of food and it is the best option if you are expecting a larger crowd. A buffet can satisfy everyone’s dietary needs and is a popular service of funeral catering companies.
Whether it’s warm, cold, or a carefully curated selection of your loved one’s favorite meals, many catering companies recommend a simple buffet since it’s a less formal way of presenting food, allowing visitors to interact and reminisce about their fond memories.
5. Desserts
Although you wouldn’t expect a wide variety of desserts at a funeral, it’s always nice to send the guests home with something sweet—consider it a way of celebrating the life of your loved one and honoring them one last time with perhaps their favorite sweet treat.
Simple desserts such as a slice of pecan pie, moist chocolate cake, or even an apple tart would be nice to console the guests during a very emotional time.
Hire a Professional Funeral Catering Company to Celebrate the life of your Loved One
Food can bring people together and make them feel better. This is the case even during a funeral, even if it’s for a little while.
It’s always best to hire a funeral catering company to ensure good-quality catering and a wide range of variety to satisfy everyone’s needs.
