What Are the Best Food Ideas for Work Meetings?

Feed your team

Work meetings are an important part of doing business. They’re often where the best ideas and collaboration come from. Getting people together in a room helps foster a sense of camaraderie and is an efficient way to convey a lot of information to many people at once. 

Offering food at work meetings is common, and many office workers will expect it. But is it a good idea to serve food at meetings (short answer: yes!), and what are some of the best food ideas for work meetings? Let’s dig in.

The importance of food at work meetings

Meetings often take people away from their routines, and while some people eat more often than others, it’s safe to assume that a person will need to eat something every few hours. If your meeting will last longer than that, or happens during the time people would usually be eating, providing food is a good way to let attendees know you care about their well-being.

Providing food is also an icebreaker and a way to promote social bonding. People come together over food, making it a powerful tool for team building and establishing company culture.

Food can also help promote creativity. Proper nutrition and sustenance are important for physical and brain health, so providing food before or during an important meeting can help ensure that everyone is on their best game.

Important considerations

When it comes to food at work meetings, there are a few important things to keep in mind. First, not everyone can eat everything. Check with your team about any food allergies before ordering to make sure you’re getting food that’s safe for everyone to eat. 

If you’re using catering for a big meeting, make sure your caterer has a list of everyone’s food allergies, and provides options for those who can’t eat a specific item. You will also want to ensure they take the proper precautions when handling food to avoid cross-contamination.

Also, just because someone isn’t allergic, doesn’t mean they will want to eat something. Vegetarians or vegans may have ethical considerations about what kinds of food they will eat. Be sure that if you’re providing food for your team, you provide food your entire team will want to eat.

Food ideas for work meetings

Whether you’re shopping yourself or catering in, these food ideas for work meetings will help keep your team well-fed and energized so they can do their best work. 

Breakfast meeting ideas

• Donuts: Donuts are a sweet treat that many people enjoy at breakfast time. They’re easy to share and come in a wide variety of flavors. 

• Bagels: Bagels are another breakfast treat that can be more filling than donuts. Pair them with cream cheese for a do-it-yourself breakfast bar.

• Yogurts: Single-serve yogurt cups offer a nutritious breakfast option that is also suitable as a snack. 

• Fresh fruit: Fresh fruit—either by itself, or paired with any of the above—is a nutritious breakfast option that also makes for an appealing visual display.

• Coffee: People generally appreciate coffee at morning meetings, even if there’s no other refreshment on offer. It can help keep people focused and energized.
  

Lunch meeting ideas

• Sandwiches: It’s hard to go wrong with the trusty sandwich. Meat between two slices of bread is a lunchtime staple, and the variety of meats and cheeses available makes it possible to please almost anyone. 

• Salads: For a lighter option, try salads. The fresh vegetables make for a tasty break from sometimes heavy sandwiches.

• Pizza: Pizza is an office favorite for good reason. It feeds large groups, is shareable and comes with a variety of different toppings. 
  

Food ideas for shorter meetings

• Raw vegetables: A crudite platter filled with fresh vegetables will liven up any meeting, providing something to snack on that’s tasty and delicious. Don’t forget the salad dressings for dipping sauce. 

• Chips: Either on their own or as a side for a lunch option, chips are easy to eat and come pre-packaged in a variety of styles and flavors. 

• Popcorn: Popcorn is a fun snack that can liven up a work meeting. It can remind people of festive activities and is easy to serve and share.

• Ice cream: Speaking of festive treats, it’s hard to go wrong with ice cream. Especially in the warmer months, ice cream is a fun treat and comes in a variety of flavors. To make your meeting extra special, you can create a build-your-own sundae bar with a selection of ice cream toppings. 
  

Food ideas for remote meetings

These days, more and more people are working remotely. But just because your team might not be in the office, doesn’t mean you can’t have a lunch (or breakfast) meeting. You’ll simply want to plan ahead. 

• BYO: The easiest option is to ask your team to provide their own refreshments. This way everyone will have exactly what they want. 

• Delivery: You can also have refreshments delivered to your team. This is a great option if you want to hold a special event, like a toast or celebration.

• Order in: You can also provide your team with a code or reimbursement for using a food delivery service. 
  

Feed your team with Walmart Business

Whether you’re stocking up your breakroom or planning for the big meeting, you can get what you need to feed your team from an ever-expanding assortment of products at Walmart Business. Walmart Business customers get access to features like multi-user accounts with shared payment methods and subscription-based ordering. Already a customer? Then sign up for a Walmart Business+ membership to save over $500/year¹ and get access to free shipping (no order minimum),² free delivery (minimum $35 order)³ and 2% in Walmart Business Rewards on orders $250 or more.⁴

¹Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).

²Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

³Restrictions apply.

⁴Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.