Nearly every corporate event has them. With many events, it is the first impression that you make with your attendees. Here are some ways you can impress event attendees and get them ready for a great event. Go beyond the Danishes and scones with these easy additions.
Passed Breakfast Hors d'oeuvres
People enjoy themselves way more at the conference reception than they do at the 8 am breakfast buffet. Take some notes from the reception and incorporate them into breakfast. No, I’m not suggesting you need to pay for an open bar next to the pastries, but make some simple changes to encourage networking. Play upbeat music and pass bite-sized breakfast items as hors d’oeuvres. Think tiny pancakes pre-syruped on skewers, mini-quiches, and fruit kabobs with yogurt dipping sauces. Attendees will love the innovative take on the most important meal of the day.
Embrace “Build your own…”
It’s like the “choose your own adventure” of breakfast. Start with your every-day fluffy scrambled eggs and provide onions, salsa, cilantro, sour cream and hot sauce for those attendees that would like to go down the Mexican path. Offer basil, mozzarella, and tomatoes for those attendees looking for an Italian fix. While those looking for the classic American approach, offer shredded cheddar cheese, scallions, and ketchup. That’s right, ketchup.
Set up a pancake bar for those looking to satisfy a sweet tooth. Set up all the toppings they could desire including chocolate chips, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and freshly whipped cream.
Take breakfast beyond the fad of avocado toast and set up options with a toast bar. Topping examples could be peanut butter, jams, cream cheese, goat cheese, smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, spinach, tomatoes, herbs, nuts, and, of course, mashed avocado. AND don’t forget the gluten-free folks and set them up with GF toast and a separate toaster. They will thank you!
People need Protein!
If you want your attendees to be satisfied and ready to focus, they need protein. Scrambled or hard-boiled eggs are easy and inexpensive additions to the basic continental breakfast. Take them a step further and add assorted quiches or gluten-free frittatas for an elevated egg option. Of course, there’s bacon, turkey bacon, Canadian bacon, Applewood-smoked bacon… but there are more cardiac-friendly options as well. Incorporate a smoothie and protein shake bar. Add Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, steel-cut oatmeal and toppings, or egg white, black bean, and avocado mini breakfast burritos to the buffet. Attendees will love being able to choose healthy options that won’t leave them with a sugar crash, and you might not need to offer as much at the 10 am break.
Do as the Europeans Do
European breakfasts are far more than simply croissants. Our friends across the pond start their days with assorted meats and cheeses, hard and soft-boiled eggs, and grilled vegetables. Incorporate these items into your buffet and attendees will love the change from the ordinary and the additional protein.
Allow Lynn David Events to partner with you on your next event. Let us know how we can help!