Mix Up Your Corporate Catering Options and Celebrate National Fun with Fondue Month
Posted by Amelia K. on Friday, November 21st, 2014 with 4 Comments
If you’ve had it before, you already know that fondue can be a delicious, light meal that involves dipping small pieces of different foods into hot sauces, like cheese, broth, or chocolate. And while it’s a dish that’s typically reserved for nighttime dining, it’s also a really easy meal to serve during the day. When it comes to spicing up your corporate catering options, fondue can be a fun – and tasty! – way to change up what you normally serve. And it can be a really healthy way to dine, if you do it right.
Serving a variety of veggies, grilled meats, and fruit (for dessert!) is a great way to offer a variety of food groups to your employees. Adding a side salad into the mix allows individuals to choose something in addition to the main course that can help to balance out their meal, and help everyone get a full lunch, since cheese fondue is typically consumed in small morsels. And since Waiter.com can bring the best fondue options right to you, it’s never been easier to celebrate National Fun with Fondue Month with the rest of your team. To help you get started, we’ve pulled together a short guide to serving up a great fondue meal at your next corporate meeting.
Cheese fondue – or chocolate, for dessert – can be a great way to bring something new and exciting to the corporate catering table!
Photo Credit: Flickr user Denis Dervisevic
Protein
Small pieces of meat are essential to any great cheese fondue meal. Not only is this the traditional way to serve fondue, it’s the best way to incorporate some protein into your lunch, which can help your staff feel full for the rest of their day. Although cubes of meat, like ham, sausage, and mini meatballs, are the most common meats when it comes to fondue, there are some healthier ways to incorporate protein into the options you serve at your meeting or event. Here are a few to consider:
- Sliced grilled chicken
- Fresh grilled steak, cut into small pieces
- Lean grilled pork tenderloin, cubed
- Shrimp
- Tofu squares
By choosing protein-packed ingredients that aren’t high in fat and aren’t processed, you’ll immediately up the health quotient of your meal and help prevent your staff from feeling sluggish in the afternoon!
Veggies
A good mix of fresh veggies is another yummy way to put a fresh spin on cheese fondue. Not only do vegetables tend to mix really well taste-wise with the cheesy dipping sauce, the textures blend really nicely, especially with the great crunch of the fresh veggies. Here are a few favorites to consider for your next catered fondue meal:
- Quartered, fresh mushrooms
- Sliced red peppers
- Delicious fresh broccoli
- Sliced artichoke hearts
- Juicy cherry tomatoes
- Fresh (or roasted) zucchini chunks
Don’t be afraid to find your own veggie combos to try – you could even serve grilled veggie kabobs as another healthy dipping option!
Grains and Potatoes
Balancing your fun lunchtime fondue treat with a few carbohydrate-rich options can be an excellent way to make sure everyone feels like they got a good mix of food choices – and that they’re totally sated after the meal. Not only that, but including grains in your dipping choices is definitely part of the traditional fondue experience. Here are a few ideas to try:
- Whole grain breadsticks
- Cubed fresh bread – try different flavor options like pumpernickel, rye, and seven grain
- Fresh homemade croutons
- Roasted potato wedges
Finding healthy ways to incorporate grains and potatoes into your meal is a great way to round out the ingredient choices you offer for cheesy dipping fun.
Dessert
One of the most popular event desserts on the market is a chocolate fountain with fruits and marshmallows for dipping. This is actually a fancy way of serving dessert fondue! While serving a dessert with your lunchtime meal isn’t a necessity, it can be a fun way to end a big meeting and make your event really memorable. Here are a few of our favorite fruits for dipping in chocolate fondue:
- Sliced strawberries
- Speared pineapple
- Fresh cherries
- Sliced bananas
- Juicy grapes
- Cubed kiwi
Although many times, you’ll see other sweet treats being served as chocolate dipping options – like mini cupcakes, brownies, and even homemade marshmallows – we recommend sticking to healthier choices, as it will help you stick to the same workplace wellness values you’ve started promoting within your company culture.
Fondue for Everyone
Because fondue includes such a wide range of food choices – and they’re not mixed into one dish – fondue is a great way to make sure everyone has a little something they love for lunch. The key with bringing a catered fondue meal to your company is to make sure you choose healthy ingredients for dipping – and serve a little of everything to everyone at the table. Also, make sure you select items that are served in bite-sized portions – it’s the best way to prevent double dipping!
When you’re ready to plan a great meeting that includes a fun fondue lunch, Waiter.com is here to help. Our corporate catering service is the perfect way to bring the best ingredient choices to the table – we can even help you select the right foods for your staff’s tastes! Ready to start planning your next big meeting? We can help you make it a success!
When it comes to feeding employees and coworkers, make your company's food program really count! If your workplace dining plan needs to take it up a notch — or if you don't have one at all — Waiter.com is here to help. From Virtual Cafeteria Service to diverse menus to local takeout & delivery, Waiter.com offers customizable dining solutions for every business and budget. Contact us today to get started!
I have definitely been turned off by fondue before (Messy fruit/dessert experience), but I think I would like to try a protein and grain variation at my next small-sized party. The chicken and potato bites sound delicious.
Awesome! Let us know how it goes!
I was a little bit skeptical but thinking about it I think it would be great as a light but filling snack. It also seems it would be a sort of ice breaker as people huddle up to the fondue table together.
It’s a great way to break the ice at corporate events!