When you’re hosting a big company event, the first question that probably comes to your mind is how you’re going to manage the catering.
People love food—and that’s a fact—so having a wonderful catering menu is sure to make your corporate event a massive hit!
But wait! Before you start listing down the main course and the tasty desserts you’ll treat your employees to, you need to think about the appetizers. Appetizers may seem like a pretty forgettable part of the meal—but they aren’t.
A good selection of appetizers can get your corporate guests excited about the main course. In addition, an appetizer catering menu gives your guests something to munch on while they mingle with others.
So here are a few tips to help you create a killer appetizer menu for your next corporate event.
1. Set the time of the party
Keeping the time the party will be held in mind can help you plan out your appetizer menu. For example, if the event is held during the afternoon, you should assume that most of your guests have already had lunch before coming over. In this case, you should have a few appetizers since some people may not eat any.
On the contrary, if the event is held at night and closer to dinner time, you should consider offering a bigger selection of appetizers.
2. Choose the types of appetizers
When planning out an appetizer menu, you need to have just the right number of types of appetizers. You might think having a large selection of appetizers is the way to go, but this could lead to your guests feeling a bit overwhelmed by the options before them. Alternatively, having fewer appetizers can also be a problem since your guests won’t have much to choose from.
So balance is key here—a good appetizer menu may have one cheese dish, one meat dish, one veggie platter, and a small selection of bread. You can even mix a few appetizer types together, for example, a meat and cheese platter, a fruit and cheese platter, or a big fruit salad.
3. Throw in some heavy appetizers
The appetizers you include don’t always have to be light finger foods; you can throw in a few heavy appetizers that can be almost as filling as the main course. Here are some hefty appetizer menu items that you can try:
- Pulled pork sliders
- Stuffed mushrooms
- Vegetable Asian pot stickers
- Hawaiian meatballs
- Mini crab cakes
- Chicken or beef kebabs
- Sushi rolls
- Shrimp cocktails
Make sure you offer a nice selection of dips and sauces to accompany these heavy appetizers. And don’t forget to add some drinks to help your guests wash it all down!
4. Have both hot and cold options
If you want to give your guests more variety, you could try treating them to a spread of hot and cold appetizers. You can include chicken tenders with dips, sliders, and meatballs for hot dishes. For the cold stuff, you could opt for sushi rolls, deli meat cuts, and assorted cheeses.
5. Think about presentation
When you have your appetizer catering menu planned out, you need to think about the presentation. You can’t just lay out appetizers at a corporate event without adding a little artistic touch
Here are some things you can do to jazz up your appetizers:
- Arrange the appetizers on large platters in a circular layout
- Color coordinate your appetizers for more visual appeal
- Try placing small appetizers in tiny glass containers
- Match the appetizer arrangement with your event’s theme
Also, consider adding eco-friendly cutlery and dishes if your organization is a green company.
Make your event a hit with a great appetizer catering menu
With a great selection of appetizers, you can make almost any corporate event a major hit. Appetizers may seem like an afterthought, but they can get your guests excited for the entire event!
So get in touch with your nearest catering company and take a look at their appetizer catering menu today!
