When you've got a big project to finish at work or you need to get a team together to brainstorm ideas, a working lunch can be a great way to get things done. It helps ease distractions, gets everyone in the mood to work and promotes a positive environment.
Hiring lunch catering to handle the food side of things takes a lot of the pressure off you, but it's still a good idea to have some input on what your team will be eating because it can actually have a big impact on your meeting's success. Here are the things to consider when you're choosing your food selection.
Boost employee brain power
To get the most out of your working lunch, it's best to avoid any food that will make people sluggish and unable to concentrate properly.
Healthy foods like nuts, seeds and fresh fruit should be provided, even if they're in addition to a few less healthy treats. They'll give people a steady, more stable energy release, which is a better option than the peaks and dips associated with high-sugar processed food.
Talk to your caterer about keeping things relatively healthy and they'll be able to suggest plenty of tasty dishes.
Avoid noisy eating
During an important meeting, it's helpful to minimise noise, especially if people will be presenting or talking individually.
Try to limit hard, crunchy foods to keep the room quiet and focused. It makes people feel less embarrassed while they're eating, too, and you might find that anything which makes a lot of noise will get left on the table.
Make the food appealing
With a wide range of tastes and preferences, you'll want to make sure everyone enjoys the food on offer. Although a focus on healthier choices is good, a few treats don't go amiss, so order a few cakes and sweet dishes to put smiles on everyone's faces.
When you're picking a selection of savoury foods and snacks, try to choose a few unusual ones. Your team will enjoy the lunch more if they can try things they don't normally get to eat.
Cater for everyone
Ask people who'll be attending if they have any allergies or other special dietary needs. At the very least, providing some vegan and gluten-free options is generally a good idea, as both of these diets are becoming increasingly common.
If you're not sure about allergies, throw some nut-free choices into the mix, too, and make sure they're kept separate from anything that might contain nuts.
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