How to Properly Store Your Catering Leftovers

Posted on June 21, 2022 by cateringfft17

Catering service is an excellent and reliable asset to use for your party planning needs, so long as you choose the right company, of course. The right caterers can customize your event menus, prepare all foods and meals, plus provide a wide range of vendor procurement, food delivery, waitstaff service, and cleanup options. Professional catering is the convenient and cost-effective approach to pulling off a memorable and successful event.

But when you cater a large group, you are bound to have all sorts of leftovers. From salads and hors d’oeuvres to breads, sides, main courses, desserts, and more, catering leftovers are a food-lover’s dream. But in order to take full advantage of them all, you must know how to properly store them. Not only does proper food storage extend the life of your leftovers, allowing you to enjoy them until they are done, but is also avoids the chances of food-borne illnesses.

Continue below to learn some tips on how to store catered leftovers so that you can safely and cost-effectively feed your crew for weeks to come!

Catering Peachtree City Georgia 678-340-0510

Your Leftovers Have Value

Although you have no option but to toss out old or expired foods, it still impacts your conscience knowing that you could have prevented them from spoiling so soon. Food waste wastes more than just foods, it also wastes money, and worse, makes you feel guilty. After taking home all of the leftover catered foods from your party or event, it is in your best interest to properly store them in a timely fashion so that you can safely serve and enjoy them for as long as possible. After all, catered food is so delicious, you wouldn’t want to miss out on a single bite!

Food Storage Tips for Leftovers

According to Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, and owner of Real Nutrition NYC, the biggest error of judgement you can make when it comes to leftovers is letting them sit out for too long. She urges people to “Leave leftovers out for no more than two hours at room temperature. Otherwise, bacteria grows, which is one of the biggest causes of foodborne Illness.”

According to another expert, Angela L. Murad, RDN, wellness dietitian at the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, another common mistake made with leftovers is not marking their containers with labels and dates. Furthermore, try to assign a use for them, like using leftover French fries in a morning omelet or scramble. You can also place notes out to remind you when to reheat them or use them in a recipe.

The Best Way to Store Leftover Food

All leftovers should be broken down into smaller portions and allocated evenly into airtight containers. If you do not have airtight containers, plastic bags that are tightly sealed work well. After repackaging, it is encouraged to label and date the containers for optimal organization. So, where do you store them and how long will they last there? Depending on the type of food, you may need to separate your leftovers between your fridge and freezer, while some good might even be stored in the pantry or on the shelf.

RULE OF THUMB:

Basically, if it has been cooked or cooled, it needs to be refrigerated or frozen when it becomes a leftover. Be sure your fridge is set between 36 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit. If you cannot use these items within the suggested time limit, it is recommended to freeze them. However, it is not recommended to freeze cheese or hard-boiled eggs! Breads and pastries can be transferred to a breadbox or airtight container in the pantry.

Flash Guide for Leftover Food Storage:

◘ Leafy Salads – 1 Day
◘ Creamed Salads (Egg, Chicken, Tuna, Macaroni, etc.) – 3 to 5 Days
◘ Pasta Salad – 4 to 5 Days
◘ Hard-Boiled Eggs – 1 Week
◘ Hard Cheeses – 3 to 4 Weeks
◘ Soft Cheeses – 1 Week
◘ Casseroles – 3 to 4 Days
◘ Mashed Potatoes – 3 to 4 Days
◘ Cooked Pasta (No Sauce) – 2 to 3 Days
◘ Gravy & Sauces – 1 Week
◘ Pizza – 3 to 4 Days
◘ Cooked Seafood – 3 to 4 Days
◘ Vegetarian Rice and Pasta Dishes – 3 to 5 Days
◘ Steaks, Pork & Chicken – 3 to 4 Days
◘ Soups and Stews – 3 to 4 Days
◘ Cooked Vegetables – 3 to 4 Days
◘ Cookies, Pies & Cakes – 1 Week

Are you looking for a professional and experienced catering company to help make your upcoming event a success? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 for trusted Peachtree City GA catering that delivers above and beyond your expectations. We also help with décor, themes, vendors, and more! Request a consultation, today.

10 Ingredients That Will Transform Your Deviled Eggs Recipe

Posted on May 19, 2022 by cateringfft17

Deviled eggs are one of the most classic and predictable go-to dishes for entertaining guests. Not only does everyone gravitate toward them at the buffet counter, but they are very easy to make and immensely reliable. But if your deviled eggs formula has gone unaltered for more years than you can count, it may be time to mix things up a bit! There are several ways to enhance a tired, outdated deviled eggs recipe, and we want to reveal some of the most exciting ones!

Continue below to learn 10 ingredients you can add to your traditional deviled eggs recipe that will instantly take them to a whole new level of deliciousness!

Local Caterers Peachtree City GA 678-340-0510

Impress Your Guests With These Unique and Delicious Deviled Egg Upgrades

Caviar

Caviar generously decrees indulgence and luxury, which is why this delicacy so thrilling to come by at a party. Astound and delight your guests by topping off your regular deviled eggs with a caviar garnish. In fact, add in some crème fraiche to compliment the saltiness of the caviar. If caviar is out of your budget, substitute salmon roe instead! It’s delicious both ways!

Smoked Salmon

In addition to salmon roe deviled eggs, you can go another way with salmon. Adding buttery smoked salmon garnishes to your classic deviled eggs recipe is an easy and elegant upgrade that won’t set you back in terms of budget. Rather than a garnish, consider chopping up the smoked salmon and folding it directly into your egg mixture. Or do both! Here’s a bonus hint: skip the egg mixture and fill your hard boiled egg halves with tuna salad or jumbo lump crab!

Truffle Oil

Who doesn’t love truffles and truffle oil? Truffle oil makes every better, from French fries and grilled steak to salad, roasted vegetables, and even vanilla ice cream! But when it comes to deviled eggs, truffle oil seems to really elevate the flavors. Top your eggs with a drizzle or mix in a few tablespoons into your egg mixture! Take it up a notch by garnishing your truffle oil deviled eggs with chopped black truffles or truffle salt.

Bacon

Bacon is similar to truffle oil in that it simply makes everything taste that much better. Savory or sweet, bacon is flat-out delicious. Upgrade your regular deviled egg recipe by incorporating your favorite kinds of bacon. Chop up bacon and add the bits into your egg mixture, top your eggs with bacon crumbles, or garnish each egg with a slice of candied bacon!

Jalapeños

This idea came about when someone forgot to buy relish for their classic deviled eggs recipe. She chopped up some jalapeños, muddled them just a bit to extract some juices, then tossed them straight into her egg mixture. The result was spicy and delicious! It is recommended to use pickled jalapeños for the egg mixture, then garnish the eggs individually with a fresh jalapeño slice. You can also make Sriracha deviled eggs. They are so good!

Wasabi

If spicy deviled eggs are what you are after, consider adding in some wasabi for a different kind of kick! Wasabi is easy to incorporate into deviled eggs because it can be used directly in the mixture or dollops on top as a garnish. Just be sure to warn your guests that these deviled eggs are extra spicy! Along with wasabi, garnish your deviled eggs with some dried seaweed or black sesame seeds.

Cheeses

Like many other delicious things in the world, cheese a trustworthy ingredient to use for an instant recipe upgrade. Fold in some sharp cheeses into your deviled egg mixture to bring your deviled eggs to the next level. Consider cheddar, blue cheese, Gorgonzola, and chopped Gouda.

Pesto

Pesto is another potent ingredient that can instantly update classic deviled eggs recipe by adding depth and richness. Mix 2 tablespoons of pesto directly into your egg mixture or top your eggs with a drizzle or dollop of pesto. You can even leave a side dish of pesto sauce for dipping. Take it to the next level by making your very own homemade pesto sauce!

Lemon Juice

You can use lemon juice to brighten up a tired and outdated deviled eggs recipe. You will be amazed at the difference! Just add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to your deviled eggs mixture, the finish by garnishing the deviled eggs with some brightly-colored lemon zest.

Food Coloring

Although it won’t necessarily change the taste of your classic deviled eggs recipe, adding a little bit of food coloring can be really fun for your guests! You can even use vegetable juices as food coloring, like beet juice, carrot juice, and turmeric. For instance, soak your hard-boiled eggs in beet juice to turn them red or purple! You can also use food coloring in just your egg mixture, turning your deviled eggs from white and yellow to white and blue or white and green, depending on your mood or theme of course!

Additional Toppings and Garnishes:

▸ Avocado
▸Curry Powder
▸Everything Bagel Seasoning
▸Sesame Seeds
▸Chives
▸Olives
▸Radishes
▸Cucumbers
▸Pickles
▸Dill

Are you looking for a Georgia caterer who can bring your party food visions to life? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 for quality Peachtree City GA catering. We also help with décor, themes, vendors, and more! Request a consultation, today.

Enhance Your Event With These 3 Catering Tips

Posted on May 5, 2022 by cateringfft17

If you in charge of coordinating a special event for work, an organization, or your own family, take it to the next level with smart catering. Continue reading to learn 3 essential catering tips that will guarantee a successful outcome for your event or party.

Event Catering Peachtree City Georgia 678-340-0510

Focus on Food Above All Else

Let’s face it the most anticipated part of any special event or party is the food. Everybody’s hungry and everybody wants to eat. If you are serving alcoholic beverages at your event, it is imperative that you provide a selection of foods to balance out the celebratory environments. Because food is the most important part of your event, do not be afraid to put most of your focus on catering. If you’re catering is smartly coordinated, the remaining elements of your event should naturally fall into place. After all, guests mostly remember the food and entertainment portions of an event.

The Top 3 Catering Tips You Should Know

❶ Avoid the Most Common Catering Mistakes

Many party planners to make the same kinds catering mistakes. Fortunately, this allows people like you to learn from their mistakes before making them yourself. By avoiding common catering mistakes, you can ensure that your event is streamlined and successful.

Do Not…

► Fall short on establishing a strict RSVP policy. By knowing how many guests you can expect to be in attendance, you can better calculate how much food and beverage is required.

► Skip planning your budget. Budget is everything when it comes to catering plans. If you want to be cost-efficient, it is important to know how much catering budget you have to work with.

► Failing to compare catering options. There is more than one catering company out there, so be sure to interview a few in order to get the best

► Forget to incorporate dietary restrictions. Think about dietary restrictions and preferences like gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, vegan, peanut allergies, fish and shellfish allergies, and other common food allergies and intolerances.

❷ Curate a Tasty and Diverse Menu

There are endless items you can add to your catering spread, just be sure to choose a well-rounded assortment of appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, and sides that will meet the palate of the average guest. Try to avoid too many exotic or fancy foods when feeding large crowds. Instead, aim for popular and universally-liked foods and drinks. Basically, skip the escargot and stewed ostrich, and opt for more conventional trimmings like beef, chicken, potatoes, and pasta. Don’t forget about dessert and coffee selections. Work with a professional caterer to coordinate the perfect catering menu for your event.

❸ Hire the Right Professional Caterer

Caterers and catering companies are listed everywhere around you. So, how do you know which company is the right one? To find a trusted and qualified catering service, look for the key industry credentials: good reviews, experience, proof of culinary skill, and flexibility. Be sure to have consults and interviews with a few different companies before landing on a decision. Never be uncomfortable asking for references, estimates, and special services. Interviewing allows you to get to know the attitude and ambience of the company, learn the services they can provide, and even hear some creative ideas they have on the tops of their heads!

As for cost, many people do not realize that professional catering services are often more cost-effective compared to purchasing groceries, products, and similar provisions yourself. Think about it; you can have all the labor, service, food, and cleanup all taken care of by one team of catering experts! Do not be tempted by low prices; these prices speak directly to the type of food you’ll be getting. It there is anything to go over budget on; it would be the food every time. Do not take short cuts when catering a party or event!

Are you looking for a professional caterer in Georgia to use for event catering? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 to speak with a friendly and experienced Peachtree City catering service manager, today. We offer boxed lunches, delivery service, buffets, plated meals, food service, and more!

Full Course Catering Menu Options for Vegetarians

Posted on March 24, 2022 by cateringfft17

According to a recent poll taken by Gallup.com, more than 5% of Americans claim to be a vegetarian, while many more take on the resolution every single day. Additionally, many faiths and cultures maintain a diet that is free of meat and meat by-products. Now more than ever, vegetarianism is making its way into the mainstream culinary arts with fervor and success because it promotes healthier eating, mindful consumption, and farm-to-table practices. Many people eat a mostly-vegetarian diet and don’t even realize it! So, if you are planning a party or event for vegetarians, don’t feel limited or intimidated by the job. You can look forward to creating a custom vegetarian menu from an array of endless and delicious options!

For some instant inspiration or ideas, continue reading for a full course vegetarian catering menu, plus information on where to get trusted catering services near you.

Vegetarian Catering Peachtree City GA 678-340-0510

Vegetarian Catering Menu Options

Appetizers and Hors d’Oeuvres

There are several appetizers and Hors d’Oeuvres to choose from when custom creating a vegetarian catering menu. From finger foods and charcuterie to bread selections, hummus cups, canapés, tapenade, and more, the selection is more than generous. Here are some popular choices to consider:

▢ Bread Roll Platters
▢ Caprese Salad Skewers
▢ Bruschetta
▢ Stuffed Mushrooms
▢ Edamame
▢ Cucumber Cream Cheese Boats
▢ Stuffed Jalapeños
▢ Artichoke Hearts
▢ Flatbreads (Try Mushroom/Gruyere, Truffle Parmesan, or Fig and Goat Cheese)
▢ Vegetable Spring Rolls
▢ Macaroni and Cheese Cups
▢ Hummus Platter
▢ Cheese and Crackers
▢ Charcuterie
▢ Veggie and Ranch Dip Platter
▢ Chips and Salsa/Guacamole
▢ Falafel
▢ Hush Puppies
▢ Tapenade Platter

First Course Options

When it comes to the first course, it is important to provide foods that will satisfy and spark hunger, but not fill your guests up completely. After all, when serving a full course meal, the first course is always followed by the main course. So, think light, like salads and soups. Here are some functional and tasty first course options that meet vegetarian catering guidelines:

🥗 SALADS:
▢ Leafy Green Salad (Spinach, Caesar, Garden, etc.)
▢ Caprese Salad
▢ Watermelon Feta Salad
▢ Cucumber Onion Salad
▢ Mushroom Vinaigrette Salad
▢ Tabbouleh
▢ Baba Ghanoush
▢ Meatless Pasta Salad (Pesto, Italian, Creamy, etc.)
▢ Thai Papaya Salad
▢ Fruit Salad
▢ Cottage Cheese and Pineapple
▢ Waldorf Salad

🍵 SOUPS:
▢ Potato
▢ Broccoli Cheddar
▢ Mushroom
▢ Vegetarian Chili
▢ Gazpacho
▢ Tomato
▢ Cauliflower
▢ Butternut Squash
▢ Pumpkin
▢ Black Bean
▢ White Bean Chili
▢ Pea Soup

Main Course Options and Sides

For the main course, you are free to go big. Focus your meal selections on savory foods that fill up the belly and satisfy the palate. When choosing your main course items, consider seasonal foods too, like pumpkins and apples in the Fall and oranges in the summer. Here are some delicious and versatile main course options for vegetarian catering:

▢ Eggplant Parmesan
▢ Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers
▢ Ratatouille
▢ Fettuccine Alfredo
▢ Spaghetti w/Mushroom Ragù
▢ Vegetarian Pasta
▢ Cacio e Pepe
▢ Black Bean Cheese Burgers
▢ Grilled Tofu
▢ Mushroom Wellington
▢ Cheese Stromboli/Calzone
▢ Vegetarian Lasagna
▢ Mushroom Stroganoff

SIDES:
▢ Macaroni and Cheese
▢ Potatoes (Mashed, Baked, Scalloped, Sweet, Tots, Fries, etc.)
▢ All Vegetables (Steamed, Stewed, Grilled, Roasted, Fried, etc.)
▢ Mashed Cauliflower
▢ Rice
▢ Beans (Baked, Black, Refried, Lima, etc.)
▢ Onion Rings
▢ Coleslaw

Vegetarian Dessert is Easy!

Dessert should not be a problem for vegetarian catering planning. Not many desserts are made with meat. Steer clear of maple bacon options and bacon jams, and you should do well!

Are you looking for a qualified catering company to help plan your custom vegetarian or vegan catering menu? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 for customized catering services in Peachtree City, GA and its surrounding counties.

3 Easy Dinner Party Menu Ideas That Will Please Your Guests

Posted on February 22, 2022 by cateringfft17

So, you’re hosting a dinner party for a large crowd? Well then, you will surely want to know the secret to making dinner party planning and hosting easier than getting a manicure. That secret is to skip out on the cooking part! Hiring a professional catering service to prepare and deliver your dinner party menu will save you time, frustration, and more importantly, money.

Not only will a qualified caterer manage the planning, preparation, and if you so choose, the delivery of your dinner menus, thus eliminating stress and giving you more time to focus on other important aspects of your party, but they will also save you money by selectively curating a menu that will not render any excessive waste. When you have a skilled catering team helping you with your dinner party spread, the only decision you need to make is regarding the actual food!

Not sure what to cater at your upcoming dinner party? Continue below to review 3 top-recommended dinner menu ideas that are proven hits among party guests!

Taco Bar Catering Peachtree City GA 678-340-0510

Try These 3 Menu Ideas for a Deliciously Satisfying Dinner Party

Tacos

You can never go wrong with tacos. Everyone loves tacos! They are extremely universal, capable of being glammed up to a fine-dining level or kept traditional and authentic. A taco bar can be perfectly customized to offer all sorts of options, allowing guests to be creative, plus build a taco to their personal liking.

Base options include corn shells, stand-alone shells, taco bowls, burrito bowls, and a selection of tortillas, like corn, flour, whole grain, low carb, and street style. As for fillings, you have endless options, like ground beef, chicken, steak, pork carnitas, refried beans, black beans, grilled fish, ground turkey, and shrimp.

When it comes to toppings, your options are vast. Traditional toppings to consider are lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickled jalapenos, chili peppers, fajita peppers, shredded cheese, cojita cheese, queso, guacamole, sour cream, salsas, hot sauces, cilantro, avocado, and radishes. Compliment your tacos with a selection of sides like nachos, tortilla chips, Mexican rice, refried/black beans, green salads, elote, churros, flan, fried ice cream, and more!

Barbecue

Like tacos, almost everyone is a fan of good barbecue. How could you not? Smoked meats, hearty sides, sweet and tangy sauces, and Southern desserts are universal comfort foods. For your upcoming dinner party, consider a barbecue spread! Your catering company might be able to offer on-site spit roasting and barbecuing too! This just adds to the fun and flair of serving barbecue for your dinner party guests.

Some main options for barbecue catering include beef brisket, smoked chicken, pulled pork shoulder, smoked sausages, whole hens, and burnt ends. As for sides, you can go as traditional or innovative as you like, but the classics would be cornbread, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, corn on the cob, baked beans, collard greens, coleslaw, and pickled peppers and onions. For dessert, think pies, parfaits, and cobblers! Fried apples and cinnamon are always a hit too!

Pizza

We know what you are thinking; pizza? It’s been done. But when it comes to serving a large crowd for a dinner party, pizza is always a safe option and it’s super simple to plan. Even if a person doesn’t think they are in the mood for pizza, they tend to eat and enjoy it, nonetheless. Best of all, pizza is highly-versatile.

Not only can you offer a wide selection of pizza styles and combinations, but you can also incorporate a build-your-own pizza station that allows guests to have little fun with their food. Choose one style of pizza or offer many, like Chicago style, Detroit deep dish, New York thin crust, Italian wood-fired pizza, or flatbreads. With toppings, you know the drill, choose as many as you like!

Offer traditional toppings like pepperoni, sausage, steak, chicken, and veggies, as well as more daring toppings, like fried egg, hot peppers, rare cheeses, pickled or caramelized onions, cured meats, marmalade, honey, balsamic glazes, fresh herbs, and more. You can also offer a selection of base sauces, like olive oil, marinara, red sauce, pesto, and Alfredo. Pair your pizza selections with desserts like cannolis, tiramisu, cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookies, and gelato.

Looking for a Georgia catering company that can deliver an exceptional spread for your upcoming occasion or party? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 to learn your options for custom dinner party catering in Georgia. We serve all of Peachtree City and its surrounding locations.

A Simple Guide to Afternoon Tea Service Catering

Posted on February 16, 2022 by cateringfft17

If you are planning a special occasion or event that is fast approaching, but you are still unsure about the catering menu, perhaps you might consider afternoon tea service. Afternoon tea service catering is the perfect choice for birthday parties, bridal showers, baby showers, business meetings, luncheons, and more. It delivers an ambience of elegance and sophistication, plus serves as a responsible and cost-effective way to stave off hunger before the main meal is served.

Continue reading to learn what you need to know about afternoon tea service catering, including how to choose a tea selection, which items to consider for your food platters, and most importantly, where to find trusted professional catering company that can bring your afternoon tea vision to life.

Tea Party Catering Peachtree City GA 678-340-0510

What is Afternoon Tea?

Established by the English back in the early 1800s, hot afternoon tea quickly became a highly civilized and sophisticated ritual among the British elite. It was traditionally served prior to a meal in order to satisfy hunger without filling up too much. You may have heard of afternoon tea, as well as high tea and cream tea. And believe it or not, there is a difference. Afternoon tea is also referred to as Low tea because it is meant to be served seated, and at a low table. It is traditionally served around 4PM with a lighter selection of foods, such as finger sandwiches, sweets, and scones.

High tea, as you have probably guessed it, is served at high tables, and typically following a workday, around five or 6 o’clock in the evening. With high tea, heavier selections of foods are served, like baked beans, stewed vegetables, meats, and casseroles. Cream tea is tea that is served with clotted cream and scones. It can also be served with biscuits or cookies. It is traditionally served following a meal, more like a dessert tea, or even for breakfast.

Tea Options

Did you know that all tea is derived from the same plant, which is scientifically known as Camellia sinesis? Interesting; right? Well, when it comes to serving tea at your catered event, you have the liberty of choosing whichever teas you prefer. Traditionally, breakfast teas or black teas are selected, however you can also throw in decaffeinated tea options, such as chamomile or other types of herbal teas too.

You can also choose your own selection of tea accompaniments, such as lemons, milk, cream, sugar cubes, sugar substitutes, cinnamon sticks, cinnamon, nutmeg, and more. With the help of your Peachtree City catering company, you can also select your own China and table settings. It is recommended to pair your tea service with bouquets of flowers and soft linens to create a truly authentic and memorable experience.

Side Note: Get creative and serve iced tea instead of hot tea for a summertime event!

Food Pairings For Afternoon Tea

When it comes to afternoon tea, the hot tea is not the only focus. The Food pairings that go along with your afternoon tea are just as important. Most often, you can expect tea service to include finger sandwiches, crudités, miniature quiches, small sweets, biscuits, and scones. Within these primary categories of afternoon tea foods, you can create all sorts of flavor combinations for each. Traditionally, afternoon tea foods are served on a tray with 3 to 4 tiers. Each tier should showcase its own category of foods.

The lowest tier, or the bottom tier, is generally reserved for foods like finger sandwiches. These are generally the first foods reached for once afternoon tea is poured since they are the savory ones. Finger foods can be sandwiches with egg salad, cream cheese and cucumber, deli meats, jams and dried meats, and any other combinations you so desire.

After you have a few sandwiches, that is when you want to start reaching for the scones, which should be placed on the second or middle tier. Scones are denser pastries with a biscuit-like consistency. They offer a little bit of savory and little sweetness. But as we all in one, making them the perfect snack in between finger sandwiches and sweets. It is traditional to serve scones with clotted cream, fruit preserves, lemon curd, and even some herb-infused butter.

Finally, on the top tier should be the sweets. Traditionally served sweets at afternoon tea include combinations of mini cupcakes, fruit tartes, canapes, shortbreads, macaroons, cream puffs, cake bites, petit fours, mini eclairs, or similar miniature sweets.

Are you in for a professional caterer in Georgia who can bring your afternoon tea service vision to life? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 to speak with a friendly and experienced Peachtree City catering service manager, today. We serve all of Peachtree City and its surrounding locations.

How to Safely Cater Meals for Your Staff

Posted on January 11, 2022 by cateringfft17

Feeding your employees shouldn’t be a hassle. More importantly, it shouldn’t be unsafe. With professional catering services, you can ensure both of these standards are met. Continue below to learn some effective and progressive ways to cater lunch and dinner for your staff, safely, and without posing any health or safety risks.

Business Catering Peachtree City GA 678-340-0510

Protect Employees From Food-Related Illnesses With Safe Catering

Safe food handling and preparation are crucial elements to apply when serving food to any size group. But when they are your employees, an additional level of liability rests upon your shoulders. It is your duty to ensure their safety, and protect them from any foreseeable harm, like food-borne related illness, allergic reactions, and any other dangers related to consuming unsafe goods.

Safe Catering Tips for the Office

Safe catering methods focus on reducing touch-points, or places people put their fingers and hands. The less your staff has to use their hands on anything other than their own plate and cutlery, the better. This approach can diminish the transmission of harmful bacteria and more. Here are some top-recommended ways to safely cater lunch and dinner for your staff, year-round:

Boxed Lunches

Served hot or cold in the catering industry, boxed lunches continue to be a popular and effective way to safely feed your staff. Because they are all separately portioned, there is no potential for cross-contamination, nor the possibility of touching another person’s food. Best of all, boxed lunched can be customized to infinity, from gluten-free and peanut allergies to paleo, kosher, veganism, and more.

Appoint Food Servers

If you are catering a large staff, you may opt for a buffet-style catering service, which is an excellent choice. But to improve on food-handling safety, consider appointing food servers. You can hire your catering company to send food servers to portion out mains and sides to your staff as they make their way down the buffet line. You can also use your own company managers. Reducing the number of hands handling the portioning utensils significantly cuts back on the possibility of germ and bacteria transmission.

Provide Hand Sanitizer or Gloves

If you cannot appoint servers for your catered buffet, try placing hand sanitizer stations at the front of the buffet line and encourage staff to use it before building their plates. A simple sign usually does the trick! If sanitizer is not your preference, place boxes of gloves and ask your staff to wear one on the hand they will use to portion out their food. This works really well.

Plated Meals

For more formal events for staff, you may want to consider plated meals, which work well for brunches, lunches, and dinners. Plated meals are a safe catering technique because they are portioned out by professional food handlers who are washing their hands according to regulation, plus wearing proper safety gear, like gloves, masks, and hairnets. Waiters or catering staff will hand out plates individually.

Are you looking for a professional catering company in Georgia to use for business catering? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 to speak with a friendly and experienced Peachtree City catering service manager, today. We offer boxed lunches, delivery service, buffets, plated meals, food service, and more!

How to Interview a Caterer

When you are searching for catering companies in Georgia, it is important to have your focus on reputation and capabilities. After all, ultimately you just want a caterer who is well-revered and retains the proper skills and resources to meet your catering needs. So, when calling around to the different catering businesses, focus your questions on experience, scope of service, pricing, dependability, and most importantly, food.

Experience

As you sit down with your first catering candidate, begin your conversation with questions about their experience. How much experience do they have the catering industry? How many years have they been in business as an official company? How many events similar to your own have they done in the past? These are important inquiries that will speak to their ability to meet your catering needs.

Pricing

Next, talk about money. What type of business model to the use? How much are their catering services? What additional fees might be charged? Is gratuity included? Catering costs will be a significant deciding factor when choosing a catering company in Peachtree City, Georgia. Keep in mind that cheaper doesn’t always mean better. Oppositely, watch out for inflated prices or price gouging. Catering costs should be fair, and seem reasonable for all materials, resources, and services provided to you.

Scope of Service

Is important to learn which types of catering services caterer officers. You want to be sure they offer catering services for your particular type of event. For instance, you don’t want to hire a catering company that specializes strictly in weddings for your nephew’s graduation. What type of catering services do they offer? Do they offer catering service for your particular event? These are important questions to know ahead of time before making a final decision on a Peachtree City catering company.

Dependability

Another important attribute to look for in a potential catering company is a good reputation. You want to know that they have a good client following and has demonstrated a high level of dependability among their clientele in the past. How many events do you have scheduled for the rest of the month? Do you have any customer reviews I can see? Can I view a company portfolio? How do you handle client disputes? What is your cancellation policy?

Food

Catering really offers a convenience of service, especially if you’re opting for white glove service, waitstaff, bartenders, off-premises venue, tables, chairs, cutlery, linens, flowers, lighting, entertainment, and more. But what catering is really about is the food. Be sure to ask your potential catering company candidate about their menus. Do you offer customized menus? Do you have a set menu? What types of food do you specialize in? Can you provide options for food allergies and dietary restrictions? Do you offer food tastings?

Are you looking for a professional and experienced catering company in Georgia you can trust? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 for quality Peachtree City GA catering. We also help with décor, themes, vendors, and more! Request a consultation, today.

The Value in Buying Local Foods

Posted on November 23, 2021 by cateringfft17

What does it mean to buy local? When you are shopping for meats and produce, buying locally-grown and processed products is the act of “buying local.” The general rule of thumb is informally measured by time and distance. To be considered local, products must be raised and produced in a location that is within one day’s drive. This is also referred to as farm-to-table, which is basically the consumption of local products and goods.

Continue reading to learn all the wonderful benefits of buying local meat and produce in your town and become a farm-to-table believer yourself!

Local Catering Peach Tree City GA 678-340-0510

The Benefits of Purchasing Local Meats and Produce

From pristine freshness and superior nutrition standards to absolute quality control, economic support, comforting transparency, and all the seasonal harvest pleasures, there are many reasons why buying locally-grown fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, and even textiles is so valuable.

Freshness

One of the more obvious advantages of buying local products is the element of freshness. When you live on the coast, seafood is at its freshest, making it taste its best. Just like the coast, when meat and produce are procured locally, they also retain maximum freshness and flavor. And when food is fresh, it’s healthier, which leads us to our next point.

Quality and Nutrition

One of the best advantages of purchasing local goods is the quality of taste and better nutrition. Because local goods do not travel long distances to reach its consumers, they can be harvested at their ripest state. Fruit and vegetables that have time to fully-ripen retain higher quantities of minerals and vitamins. Not only does this make them more nutritious, it also makes them taste their best.

Economic Boost

Purchasing products that are raised and harvested nearby helps the local economy. Not only does your money stay within your community, but it also helps keep local companies in business. Altogether, this keeps the cash flow good in your town and prices at reasonable rates. Accordingly, buying locally is personal because it helps the community by supporting local farmers, gardeners, and independently-owned businesses. This makes your meals that much more meaningful!

Seasonal Harvests

Rather than buying the same products over and over again, you can buy locally and enjoy the changing seasonal harvests. Not only does this keep cooking and mealtime fun, but it also makes your meals tastier since you are consuming goods in their peak season. Produce in season tends to be less expensive, so it’s cost-effective as well!

Are you looking for qualified farm-to-table catering services for your upcoming holiday event or special occasion? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 to request a free estimate for Peachtree City GA catering, today. We cater all events and occasions, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.

How To Make Your Own Candy Apple Buffet Bar at Home

Posted on November 10, 2021 by cateringfft17

Halloween may be over, but caramel candied apples are still all the rage. Now is a perfect opportunity to visit your local farmers’ market or apple orchard and take advantage of their final harvest haul. You can bring home dozens of fresh, locally grown apples of all varieties for as little as pennies on the dollar.

The best part is, there is so much you can do with an apple surplus! But why not try something different this year? After all, apple pies and cobblers are so conventional. So, put your apple hoard to good use and good fun by entertaining your children and guests with a homemade candy apple bar spread!

Continue reading to learn some tips on creating an easy and entertaining candy apple buffet bar that you can do with your friends and family any time of year!

Dessert Catering Peach Tree City Georgia 678-340-0510

How to Build Your Candy Apple Bar Spread

The most exciting part of building your own candy apple bar spread for your friends and family is picking out all of the fun ingredients. If you think about it, you can basically dress up a candied caramel Apple anyway you like. From traditional garnishes like sprinkles and nuts to extravagant garnishes like crumbled Oreo cookies and chopped up Snickers bars, you can really let your imagination fly free when it comes time to shop!

For the base coat toppings, you can stick with the traditional caramel topping, which you can make yourself by melting butter and caramel candies on the stove, or you can purchase ready-to-heat caramel topping specifically designed for candied apples. In addition to caramel, consider hot fudge topping, white chocolate topping, or toffee topping! Both are great for both drizzling and dunking!

In addition to all of the delicious toppings and garnishes for your candy apple bar, you will need the basics, which include your apples, wooden chopsticks or kebab skewers, dinner sized paper plates, two medium-size serving bowls, and a muffin tin for all of your topping selections.

This is a messy project, especially if you are entertaining children, so be sure to have plenty of napkins and moist towelettes handy as well! If you want to mitigate the mess, consider slicing your apples for custom dunking and decorating.

Custom Catering Services Georgia 678-340-0510

What You Will Need:

❑ PLENTY OF APPLES!
❑ 2 Medium-Size Bowls for Your Caramel & Hot Fudge Topping
❑ Muffin Tin for Your Toppings
❑ Wooden Chopsticks or Kebab Skewers
❑ Dinner-Sized Paper Plates
❑ Napkins & Moist Towelettes
❑ Caramel
❑ Hot Fudge

Topping Inspirations:

■ Edible Glitter or Gold Flakes
■ Edible Pearls
■ Cake Décor Lettering
■ Rainbow Sprinkles
■ Chocolate Sprinkles
■ Chocolate Chips
■ Graham Crackers
■ M&M’s Candy
■ Pop Rocks Candy
■ Shredded Coconut
■ Nuts Of Any Variety
■ Cereal
■ Marshmallows
■ Raisins
■ Dried Fruit
■ Crumbled Cookies
■ Chopped Candy Bars
■ Chopped Peppermint Candies
■ Chocolate Drizzle (White, Dark or Milk)

Set Up is Simple!

Set up your candied apple buffet bar on a table or countertop, placing the paper plates at the front of the line. Pre-poke all of your apples with your chopsticks or kebab skewers since this can sometimes be distracting for guests and potentially hazardous for children. When it comes to building a custom candy apple, simply dip an apple into your choice of melted topping, then place on a paper plate and sprinkle on your desired garnishes!

Are you looking for custom catering services that can provide the personalized menus you have in mind for your upcoming occasion? Contact Food for Thought Catering at 678-340-0510 to speak with a friendly and experienced Peachtree City catering service manager, today.