Catering/Food and beverages Edit

As an event organizer, you’re responsible for providing water and coffee, usually lunch or afternoon snacks. The following tips will help you offer a more sustainable menu.

  • Check if the venue has any restrictions on food brought in by your caterer or sponsors.
  • If the venue has no water refill system, check with your caterer or find a supplier.
  • When you search for a caterer, consider one that meets as many of the following criteria:
    • A local business, cooking local food, using local ingredients, and ideally respecting seasonality in their menu. Using fair trade products, organic, and plant-based ingredients is also recommended, as long as it’s local.
    • Offers vegan and vegetarian dishes. If you serve meat dishes, favor fish and poultry over red meat.
    • Uses more whole-grain over refined-grain.
    • Serves food in reusable, recyclable, or compostable items.
  • If your caterer can’t provide biodegradable or reusable utensils, try to source them yourself.
  • Donate surplus food from the event to local food banks and similar projects. Research your options in advance to understand who is the recipient, what they can accept, how it should be packed and kept, and when and by whom the food donation will be delivered.

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