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<p>If you’re like most meeting planners, you’ve already made ground in your sustainability goals: 70% of survey respondents in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com/content/uploads/2023/10/2024-Global-Meetings-and-Events-Forecast.pdf">the American Express 2024 Global Meetings and Events Forecast</a> say that sustainability has been “strongly adopted” in their events.</p>
<p>The best sustainability practices are strategic, meaningful, and specific, avoiding falling prey to <a target="_blank" href="https://marriottbonvoyevents.com/news-and-highlights/article/482/how-to-talk-with-vendors-about-your-sustainability-goals">greenwashing</a>. That said, introducing high-visibility sustainability flair into your meetings can underscore your event’s commitment to the planet. Couple that with your food and beverage program and you’re serving up not just sustainability but delight.</p>
<p>Here are four ways to bring conspicuous sustainability into your food and beverage service:</p>

<h3><strong>Try Edible Servingware</strong></h3>
<p>Basil-infused spoons made of ground grains for caprese tastings. Espresso cups crafted from ice cream cones, meant to be eaten after an espresso shot. Cupcakes presented in flexible, edible wafers. And for the most daring, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/catering-design/food-trends/media-gallery/22885168/creative-catering-trays-we-love-from-recent-events">cocktails served in snowballs</a>.</p>
<p>Think of these edible items like a bread bowl taken up a notch. Swapping traditional serving elements for edible, sustainable replacements can add convenience and joy to your environmental program. Make sure attendees are aware of what’s edible; otherwise, that aspect of your catering could be lost in the shuffle.</p>

<h3><strong>Get a Little Fruity</strong></h3>
<p>The classic fruit tray can get an upgrade by using jumbo-size fruit as a component of service. Watermelon baskets, pineapple boats, and pomelo cups all add a decorative, sustainable spin to your buffet table.</p>
<p>The trick here is to make sure the fruit itself is actually used, though. Talk with your catering team about handling fruits meant for presentation in a way that preserves both the casing and the inside. It may not be practical for the team to extract watermelon slices from a watermelon meant to be carved into a serving basket, but they can use the fruit for purees and juices.</p>

<h3><strong>Elevate Family-Style Serving</strong></h3>
<p>Banquet service doesn’t have to be waitstaff-only. Let colorful dishes such as family-style salads be the “centerpieces.” If you want to elevate family-style service both literally and figuratively, place these dishes atop complementary centerpiece elements, like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizbash.com/catering-design/tabletop/media-gallery/22883889/ideas-for-unexpected-centerpieces-at-events">tree-stump platforms</a>.</p>

<h3><strong>Use Food as Decor</strong></h3>
<p>There’s a reason landscapers often include kale in their plans—it’s beautiful. Attractively bundling fruits and vegetables for an opening-night kickoff celebration and using them as decor evokes a feeling of being connected to the earth. And the next day? Dinner. (Be sure to check with your catering team’s policies first.)</p>

<h3><strong>Remember: Sustainability Goes Beyond the Visible</strong></h3>
<p>Sustainable flair is both fun and practical, but it’s not enough in and of itself to lower your meeting’s carbon footprint. Think of it as an add-on to the program you’re already developing, which may include donating leftovers to reduce food waste, offering reusable servingware (if you’re not using edibles), using local and seasonal produce to avoid unnecessary transportation costs, and having recycling and composting options on hand at the event. For more ideas and event sustainability news, turn to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mpi.org/tools/sustainability-resources">MPI’s sustainability resources</a>.</p>

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Fun, Functional, and Friendly to the Planet.

Add Sustainable Flair to Your Food and Beverage Service

<p>Meetings during these times might be different, but memorable event food and beverage is always a key satisfiaction driver. Offer your guests a feast for the eyes with inventive food presentation. With simple and inexpensive techniques, your event’s food preparation can impress even the most staunch foodie. From plating to dinnerware—and everything in between—you can transform the standard event catering dish into Instagrammable food art. Use any of our food presentation tips to set the mood, communicate your theme and delight your attendees:</p>
<h2>Interactive Plating</h2>
<p>Depending on your event’s budget or format, you can treat your guests to a live, custom plating experience by having dishes prepared at their tables or at a food station (re-designed to maintain proper social distancing). Live food preparation helps entertain guests as they become involved in the process of preparing their meals.</p>
<p>Live food preparation also has the benefit of helping you pare down your menu. Because live food prep works best with foods that do not require thermal processing, you can select dishes that can be chilled or easily assembled. For a simple setup, opt for salads, soups, fish dishes and prepped desserts. Go the extra mile by featuring flambé, hot stone cooking or a live grilling station. With larger parties, feature several skilled chefs and have them prep family-style meals.</p>
<h2>Dinnerware Is Your Décor</h2>
<p>Let your utensils double as decoration! Order custom dinnerware to create an atmosphere of exclusivity and decadence for your guests. For a smaller party or meeting, print custom china, porcelain or stone dinnerware sets that feature your client’s logo or colors. For an inexpensive option, you can order collectible items like cups, mugs or forks that you can incorporate into the event’s meals. Encourage guests to take their new custom dinnerware home in their goodie bags!</p>
<h2>Who Says You Need a Plate?</h2>
<p>Alternative plating is the latest trend sweeping restaurants around the globe. From hollowed pineapple bowls to marble stone slabs, chefs are discovering new ways to present their plates. Experiment with serving your meals in fruit shells (think watermelon bowls for fruit salads), Mason jars or pot lids, or on sanitized charcuterie boards. Serve tapas on jar lids or printed coasters. Try serving beverages out of Mason jars or novelty mugs, or look into a bouquet-style presentation for small desserts like cupcakes. The more creative, the better—but don’t forget to stick to your theme!</p>
<h2>Experiment with Garnishes</h2>
<p>Exotic garnishes can enhance the presentation and taste of a simple meal. Sliced cucumbers, tomatoes or orange peels offer a neutral tone that fits into any taste profile and can be shaped into rosettes. Adding edible flowers like roses or dandelions to a dish can provide a refined touch. For desserts, dried fruit—like pineapples or melons—add a natural sweet touch. Or get a little showy by dusting dessert garnishes with powdered sugar or sugar granules for a crystalline effect.</p>
<h2>Turn Food Stations into Installations</h2>
<p>Transform your guests’ food preparation experience from end to end by stylizing your food stations. Decorative food stations can help fashion a specific atmosphere, enhance your theme and create memorable interactions with your menu. For example, create a narrative about your dishes by adding factoid information cards or explaining how you sourced your ingredients. Use your theme’s colors, graphic profiles, or logos to decorate your food stations. Switch up the event format by placing stations where your guests will never expect them (if you get particularly counterintuitive with your placement, consider adding signage). Collaborate with your venue for the best station setups. When it comes to impressive food preparation, experimentation is key.&nbsp;</p>

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