These days’ healthy catering choices at events shouldn’t be dull or boring. Here are some mouth-watering and health-conscious Indian catering ideas to inspire your next event menus.
Guests are getting more and more health conscious these days and dietary requirements and choices requested are on the increase. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, raw… the list of diets goes on but the options offered by the venue chef or the caterer can sometimes be unsatisfactory and unappealing. At the same time, healthy options suitable for mass catering sometimes seem to be stuck in a time warp, tasteless or expensive.
The way that food is cooked and prepared has a massive impact on the nutritional value of the meal. Avoid food that is fried and opt for baked, poached, grilled, roasted, steamed or broiled choices. Don’t select anything covered in rich sauces and dressing or too high in salt. The important thing is to achieve balance in your event menu. A sweet treat is fine as long as everything is in moderation. Offer different portion sizes to give people the personal option of taking a smaller or larger piece. Likewise keep any dips, sauces, and dressings on the side so guests can choose if, or how much, to add.
Here are some new and exciting options you can try to make your current menus healthier and revamp some old favorites to make them more waistlines friendly. Regardless of the occasion, we hope this gives some ‘foods inspiration’ to satisfy even the most health-conscious crowd.
1. Make-your-own stations are always very popular with guests because they can tailor a meal how they want it. An excellent healthy idea is a noodle station because they can be accompanied by a good selection of vegetables and nuts such as carrots, avocado, cilantro, radishes, onions, basil and pine nuts. Low-fat sauces such as chili or soy breaks from the usual unhealthy thick sauces that contain a lot of yogurts, butter, and fat.
2. Fruit is always an excellent option for those who are looking for a healthy alternative for some of their guests; however, a traditional fruit bowl can be boring and often overlooked by guests as whole fruits can be messy, noisy or difficult to eat in company. Creating artistic arrangements or fruit sculptures can be a brilliant talking point and they can also double up as decorations or edible centrepieces for the tables make them easier to chose, digest and nibble. Try presenting individual fruits as a starter or desert by carving or creating them into new creations such as flowers. You can try ideas such as strawberry roses, tomato tulips or apple hearts.
3. Serve side salad in martini glasses for an extravagant, evening twist or for afternoon events serve them in teacups. Creating interesting and quirky ways to serve traditional healthy food can make it seem more appetizing and makes a plain salad fun and attention-grabbing.
4. Cucumber is an excellent healthy alternative to pastry appetizers and depending on the sizes depends on the different fillings you can add. From cheese to dark chocolate (yes, really) creating mini cucumber cups can be a mess-free way to enjoy the combination of creamy and crunchy which always make for interesting finger foods.
5. If you are serving alcohol at an event you can opt to serve healthier options such as gluten-free wine, light beer or soda mixes which will also appeal to those with special dietary requirements who are usually forgotten about when dealing with drinks. Try to make sure that you offer at least 2 or 3 appealing drink alternatives such as juices, low-calorie drinks or spring water for your guests who abstain from alcohol or are conscious about what they drink.
6. A delicious and classy, healthy dessert alternative that you can combine with superfoods, nuts or even create its own dessert station. Swap out the ice cream bar with a decorate-your-own Popsicle stand and provide chopped nuts, honey, berries and other healthy items to make their dessert unique and delicious!
7. For less formal events, opt for kale or vegetable chips with low fat and healthy dip options as part of a small buffet style setting to allow your guests healthier and more interesting alternatives. Kale in particular, when dried out properly, has the same consistency of chips with a lot fewer calories (plus other benefits too!)
8. Soup isn’t just an easy starter for dinners it can also be part of your conference menu. Avoid cream based soups and choose a recipe bursting with vegetables and flavor. Consider serving in recycled paper coffee style cups for convenience, alongside wraps and other buffet items.
9. If you are looking for a healthier red meat alternative then Portobello mushroom open-topped burgers are the way to go. These have a similar texture to meat, are bursting with flavor and go well with salad without feeling too “healthy”. They are vegan-friendly too. Take off the top of the bun and leave it open for a truly healthy and delicious alternative.
You don’t have to make massive changes to your menu to accommodate healthy choices; you can make a few adjustments here and there to leave your guests feeling satisfied but not stuffed. Don’t forget that one of the first tricks for healthier catering options is the presentation; make sure your menu looks too good to miss.
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