Picnics appear to be an ideal casual event that you can simply prepare for. However, catering a picnic necessitates departing from the norm in terms of event catering. Among other things, you must consider the site, weather, and menu for your picnic. If you want to try out catering picnics this summer, here are some ideas and suggestions to get you started.
GO FOR THE THEME
When catering a picnic, it’s a good idea to talk with your customer ahead of time to understand the event’s intended theme. Picnics may be dressed up or down, and there are a variety of themes to select from. Every picnic might be celebrated in a different way, ranging from African safaris to mermaids, around the world or sports, and so on.
Use your catering talents to compliment the subject of your client’s picnic. You may propose a unique menu or a specialized cocktail list that represents your customer’s vision for the picnic. Make certain to incorporate the colour scheme of the event into your catering choices. To highlight the concept, use the colour palette in your drinks, sweets, utensils, or seasonal menu flavours. If your food business provides extra decorations such as signs or lighting, inquire whether clients want to consider a themed decoration package for an additional fee.
ON-SITE CATERING
Even though conventional kitchen arrangements may be out of reach on an outdoor picnic, on-site catering isn’t off the table. On-site grilling or catering stations might be requested if your customer is having a sports-themed or Mediterranean-themed picnic. If your business offers an on-site catering service for clients, you must be ready to work with the limitations of an outside location.
To plan a picnic, do some research to figure out where you’ll be able to set up an on-site catering station. You’ll want to locate a location with an adequate area to host your catering station. Portable kitchen equipment like hot food pan carriers, grills, portable stoves, and other supplies are ideal for cooking at an outdoor gathering. Your portable kitchen should be able to endure all weather conditions. If preparing meals on-site isn’t feasible for the occasion, consult with your customer about alternative options before the event begins.
HANDHELD MENU ITEMS
Reduce complex catering menus to match the informal, simple ambience of outdoor picnics. The majority of your clients will want foods that are easy to consume outside and aren’t as formal as a regular indoor lunch. This necessitates the creation of a menu with many handheld food choices for consumers to enjoy without worrying about messes.
Handheld menu options are ideal for picnics. Tacos, vegetable skewers, sandwiches, burgers, wings, and other finger foods are fantastic choices. Clients may want to provide their visitors with personalized portions rather than a buffet supper, and hand food is ideal for this purpose. Discuss with your clients what kinds of handheld appetizers, entrees, and desserts they would want at their picnic dinner. As always, make sure guests who prefer to use utensils have them available.
PROVIDE VENUE OPTIONS
If you work frequently at specific outdoor picnic locations, you may already have a list of preferred sites. When considering venue options, look for locations that are convenient to clients and their guests, as well as how simple it is to set up. Although each outdoor location in your area has its own appeal, not all of them are conducive to caterers.
Give your client a list of venue possibilities if they want to have an outdoor picnic but aren’t sure where to go. Customers who are undecided will like having a variety of alternatives to pick from, especially if they hadn’t discovered any on their own. Places that can accommodate caterers and provide great sightseeing opportunities for guests should be on your list of choices.
LUNCHBOXES
Some clients may not require on-site catering service or want their employees to serve them at their event. If your customers are searching for hands-off catering during their event, prepared lunch boxes are the way to go. Lunch boxes are a great choice for off-site catering for picnics that can be made the day before the event. You may also customize your lunch boxes to match your client’s colour scheme or motifs by adding stickers or other decorations.
Lunch boxes may be filled with personalized portions of starters, main dishes, and desserts. Discuss with your clients how many lunch boxes they’ll require for the event and whether they want them packaged together or in separate boxes. Lunch box catering is best achieved using disposable containers that allow for a variety of foods to be stored or built-in sections containers that offer lots of space to store different types of meals. Picnic-style lunch boxes may be prepared the day before an event or the morning of an event and easily carried in a food carrier or portable refrigerator. When making lunch boxes, keep in mind that foods that won’t go bad while storing or transporting
