If your business or organization will be participating in a tradeshow as a vendor or presenter, you also want to consider hosting a hospitality suite. A hospitality suite can enhance the overall presence of your business or organization at a tradeshow. There are five key tradeshow hospitality suite food ideas that you need to take into consideration. By following these suggestions, you will be in the best position to present a truly successful tradeshow hospitality suite.
Keep It Neat
When selecting food items to be served at a tradeshow hospitality suite, keep it neat. By that it is meant do not select food items, no matter how delectable, that are messy when held and consumed.
The reality is that people attending a tradeshow look forward to hospitality booths, but most balk at trying to eat items that are hard to manage because of sauces or other ingredients than render them sloppy in their presentation.
The best course is to stick to easily handled and eaten finger foods. There are many such items that can be served at a tradeshow hospitality suite that you don’t have to resort to sloppy food items, no matter how tasty they may be.
Fresh Fruit
A perfect choice for tradeshow hospitality suite eats is fresh fruit of different types. You can go a truly health route and serve fresh fruit unadorned. On the other hand, you can dress fresh fruit up and turn it into a sweet dessert. Perhaps you want to consider incorporating both options into a tradeshow hospitality suite spread to satisfy the likes of the widest swath of guests.
One of the benefits of fresh fruit is that it provides an affordable option when it comes to tradeshow hospitality suite eats. Even if you elect to incorporate some more exotic fruit selections in the mix, because of the way fruit is portioned for service, you will not break the bank in the process.
Fresh Vegetables
On a related note, fresh vegetables provide another tasty, and healthy, option for food served at a tradeshow hospitality suite. Oftentimes, businesses and organizations hosting tradeshow hospitality suites take a very simple approach to serving fresh vegetables. For example, the obtain baby carrots, slices celery, and perhaps diced pepper (in different colors) to adorn platters.
A tip that you might want to consider in serving fresh vegetables at a tradeshow hospitality suite is to include a variety of dips to accompany the selections. Popular dip options that easily can be paired with vegetables include ranch and bleu cheese dressing as well as French onion dip.
Baked Goods
Unless they are on a low carb diet, baked goods are always the rage at a tradeshow hospitality suite. One of the great benefits associated with baked goods, including desserts, served at a tradeshow hospitality suite is that so many of these types of food items can readily be made in finger servings.
Keep in mind that baked goods do not need to be limited to desserts. They can include small rolls and other bread items as well.
A growing number of people seek out gluten-free food items. Traditional baked goods oftentimes do contain gluten. However, in this day and age you will be able to find a nice selection of different baked good items that are gluten-free.
Meat and Cheese
The old, reliable meet and cheese tray never fails when it comes to a tradeshow hospitality suite. They are affordable and offer guests a nice selection of different meet and cheese options.
Meat and cheese trays can be easily paired with different types of crackers. In addition, if you are also going the baked goods route, and will be included small roles or finger bread slices, these items can also be paired appropriately with a meet and cheese tray. (Make sure you pay attention to serving table layout to ensure the easy pairing of different food items.)
Mix It Up with Salt, Spice and Sweet
The most pleasing presentation when it comes to food at a tradeshow hospitality suite is one in which a selection of flavors and favorable items are available. Make it a point to include food items that range in flavors including salt, spice, and sweet. Of course, some individuals favor one of these tastes above the others. However, more often than not, a guest to a tradeshow is going to want to try the different derivations or taste options. Indeed, experimenting with nibbles available at a tradeshow hospitality suite is one of the more enjoyable aspects of this type of entertaining gathering.
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who focuses on personal finance and other money matters. She currently writes for Checkworks.com, where you can get personal checks and business checks.