Much of Beyond Food has been about the ‘behind the scenes’ activity that takes place before food arrives on the fork. However, what should it look like on the plate? What should a sustainable, healthy and nutritious plate of food look like now and in the future?
Lime Venue Portfolio work with nutritionists to best advise our customers on what makes up the perfect plate of food. We do this by following a simple set of guidelines
- Taste Test: food has to be tasty. When delegates come to an event, they come for hospitality as well as learning and inspiration. We need to give them something that they can’t just knock up at home, or buy from a retailer on their way in. We need to do something special for them
- Nutrition: While we’re feeding stomachs, we need to be feeding minds and bodies as well. This doesn’t always mean just health food; it’s about getting in as many nutrients as possible at every possible step.
- Sustainability: It’s one of our core beliefs that every plate of food has a responsibility to the planet. If we can make sure that what we deliver on the plate is someway between neutral or good for the planet, we know that the taste will be all the more sweeter for the delegate and the event manager
With this in mind, we use the following parameters to create the perfect sustainable plate:
The first thing you’ll notice is just over half is plant based. This ticks all the boxes in feeding tasty and nutritious food, but also on making it healthy for the planet as well. This is supplemented with energy providing wheats and grains, and plant sourced proteins and oils. Meat for us is absolutely allowed, but as a side; the more carbon-costly meats, the more luxurious the dish.
What needs underlining – and this is really important – is that our guidelines - taste, nutrition, sustainability - are all symbiotic. They all support each other, and we never have to choose one above the other, for instance:
- By sourcing local food, we get fresher, more nutritious ingredients, that are healthier and better for the environment
- By offering plant-based plates we are reducing ‘costly’ red meats and offering more nutritious options
- By providing nutritious meals we’re feeding minds as well as bodies, effecting cognition and concentration among delegates
It all works in glorious food symphony and means event organisers can feed their delegates the right food for them, the event and the planet, all on one plate.
