You pay for what you get.... and right now everything costs much higher than previous years. With that said, sticking to items that you know have lower food cost and could go along way always helps. Asking questions of facilities helps, they know their business and should be asked what they think is the most cost-effective meals. The insta moments that individuals are wanting, tend to cost more and sometimes do not make sense for the masses. Know your audience and what you think they want and what is the most important to them (taste, look, amounts). If they want it all, you need to pay for it, there are no short cuts in this economy and being honest with the shareholders right away will be the most beneficial.

Wraps are very affordable, and you can load them with any type of filling. I've also asked for rice or pasta-based dishes—they can be made in bulk and paired with spices and other inexpensive flavour combinations. Ask your caterer what's in season and easy to whip up without too much expense. They're usually very keen to have a foodie conversation with you! Check your attendee numbers to ensure you're not overcatering.

The one thing I found helpful is to create a customized menu around the Client’s budget, and a cost sheet according to the client's desires. This ensure a realistic outcome for the client by putting what they want versus what can be afforded . At times, these two reports can be merged or reconciled by the client's willingness to be realistic and flexible.

??While we’re on this topic - with the demand for healthy food on the increase, a call to action for the industry: It's crucial that healthy snacks are reasonably priced. In my experience organising meetings and conferences, exorbitant costs for healthy snacks often lead to unhealthy choices. Nothing worse than justifying a higher budget spend in the name of healthy choices. Feels awkward. ?? Agree/disagree?