Please, please - no wedges at lunch time!

15/12/2011

Along with my colleague Andrea Bidois, it was my great privilege to be an invited speaker at the 4th annual Professional Conference Organisers Association Conference “Adapt, Improvise, Overcome” – Identifying Risk and Opportunity.  

Despite small attendance at our healthy catering session, conversations with many delegates over the course of the three days led me to re-evaluate my ill-informed assumption that PCO’s need to be convinced of the value of healthy catering.  Overwhelmingly, you get it.  And what’s more, you have been asking for it – one comment from a disgruntled PCO: “Please, please don’t serve me one more fried item – no spring rolls and definitely no wedges at lunch time. They need to get the deep-fryers out of the kitchens!”

But there are some barriers – the most cited include working with chefs and venues; and budgetary constraints imposed by clients.   Hence, in a follow up to our session, I have put together some information which may assist you in overcoming barriers to providing more choices for those people looking for a healthier option.

Budget
Healthy food should not incur any extra cost, particularly if your event has significant numbers.  Sandwiches and rolls are a perfectly acceptable lunch option and can be very healthy.  Try ordering whole pieces of fruit instead of fruit salad.  And, healthy does not need to mean ‘bespoke’ – existing menu items can be made healthier just by adjusting one or two ingredients – see below for more information.  

Healthy menu ideas
Occasionally, menus will have options signposted as healthier choices – but beware this kind of signage, often applied by those who do not understand nutrition.  Carrot cake is not healthier just because it has a vegetable – one slice of carrot cake can contain up to 20g of fat, which is twice as much at the average dreaded chocolate muffin.  Here are some suggestions for some healthy menu options.

Hot finger food

• Lean meat balls or marinated lean meat skewers, served with low fat dipping sauces
• Filo pastry parcels filled with ricotta cheese and vegetables
• Pita bread pizza slices topped with vegetables, lean meat and reduced fat cheese
• New potatoes with the skin on, served with low fat minted natural yoghurt

Cold finger food

• Seasonal fruit kebabs served with low fat vanilla yoghurt
• Vegetable crudités served with tzatziki, hommus or tomato salsa

Main meals

• Lean meat stirfries or casseroles containing plenty of vegetables including legumes. Use wholegrain noodles, or serve with steamed rice.
• Poached or grilled fish dishes, avoid cream and coconut cream.
• Wholegrain bread rolls with polyunsaturated margarine, lean meats, reduced fat cheeses, and plenty of salads.  Avoid mayonnaise.

Alternatives to common menu items
Some tired old menu items appear time after time, and people now expect to see them.  Surprise your delegates by giving them a healthy twist on an old ‘favourite’.

Working with chefs and venues
Choosing wisely from the menu is one way to enhance the health value of your event, however, if you want more assurance that the venue is on board, the best approach is to arrange a meeting to talk specifically about your requirements.  For guaranteed healthier food, some ‘non-negotiables’ might include:

• Fruit must be served at every break
• All main meals must contain vegetables
• At least 50% of breads should be wholemeal or wholegrain
• No deep-fried foods
• No butter on tables or bread products, use olive oil or polyunsaturated margarine instead
• No pastry, unless it is filo
• No fatty meats, like salami, bacon, or sausages
• No cream, sour cream, coconut cream, or mayonnaise (unless fat-reduced)
• No softdrinks, unless sugar-free

It was pleasing to hear that the mostly healthy food served at the Langham for this conference was appreciated.  I have no doubt that PCO’s can and will add ‘healthy catering’ to their seemingly endless event organising skill set.  For more information, visit the Heart Foundation of Australia and New Zealand websites:

www.heartfoundation.org.au/catering
www.heartfoundation.org.nz/programmes-resources/food-industry/heartbeat-catering

Yours in health

Deanne Wooden
Nutrition Manager
Heart Foundation