When the sun is shining, and the Australian summer is in full force, it’s the perfect time to play host in your backyard, celebrate milestones and spend time outside with friends and family. It is also an excellent season for catering to feed the hungry hordes, and with this season always comes fresh trends to take note of. Here are the ones to watch in 2021.
Increased safety precautions
This one should come as no surprise given the ‘year that was’. COVID-19 precautions against the spread of the virus remain in place, and catering organisations need to show that they are going the extra mile to ensure that the food they are serving is safe. This goes beyond masks and hand sanitiser (although you should ensure you have plenty of both on hand).
The process goes right down to the preparation and service of everything from individual meals to full buffet lineups. Dishes need to be kept separate, and it is advisable to have individual servers for each type of food.
Bringing food directly to the consumer
Another symptom of COVID-19, catering operations are moving away from a bain-marie full of food and opting for a “come and get it” call for hungry partygoers to serve themselves instead. Caterers are getting creative with disposable service trays that can be brought directly to each diner’s table. boxfox has a wide range of options that look fantastic and allow you to deliver these food items directly at your next event.
Sealed drinks
Adding to the hygiene angle, many caterers are pre-preparing drinks, shots and cocktails and sealing with foil to serve the punters. There are many benefits in doing this. Firstly, appropriately sealed and refrigerated beverages are a safer option in terms of health risks. It also means a much faster service as there is no need to prepare drinks to order, and the foil itself is a perfect canvas for corporate branding or to commemorate events, like weddings.
Soup and salads get a stylish new look
For many, the humble soup and salad are essential parts of great food service, but never the catering operation’s hero. This is changing with new and unique ways of serving these items being rolled out by many catering companies. A lot of this has been born out of necessity with sealed options now favoured for hygienic reasons, but it also allows you to get creative with decorations and the products themselves.
Time to up your Charcuterie game
Cheeses and cured meats have always been a real winner at catering events in summer, and the best catering companies are taking these Charcuterie Boards to the next level in 2021. Presentation is everything, and these platters can be the hero of the event at even the most glamourous events. Think figs, sundried tomatoes, chocolate and a wide range of other items to include at your next event.
boxfox also has plenty of unique food packaging designs to help you balance all of these aspects, all the while keeping everything safe and sealed until they’re ready to be dished up. Options range from our Hamper Trays, through to Gourmet Display Boxes, our Carry Packs and Sweet Boxes make a great carrier for a roving catering option – the choice is yours.