One + October 2010 - (Page 44)

> > O N E B I T E AT A T I M E for breaks. Planners are mixing up the fruit by incorporating more seasonal options and even adding in a few exotic fruits such as mango, papaya or lychee. FRESH VEGETABLES. Fresh vegetables and dips are no longer found only at receptions. Fresh, sliced vegetables—such as jicama, celery and carrots—served with creamy Boursin cheese or peppercorn ranch dressing are now a common afternoon snack. FOR THE SWEET TOOTH. The topranked sweets are mini candy bars. You can offer multiple ﬂavors in a bag of mini candy bars and satisfy a sweet tooth while providing the perception of portion control. Another popular sweet break incorporates ice cream bars such as Häagen-Dazs, Skinny Cow, Klondike and SoyJoy (for vegans or those with lactose intolerance). Morning and afternoon breaks are an important part of every conference or convention. They are also one of the areas in a food and beverage budget that can get cut when funds are tight. By using these ideas, you can provide healthy, interesting, convenient and budgetfriendly snacks. Go forth and Snackwell. B Y K AT J A M O R G E N S T E R N , C M P < < SNACK ATTACK GUESS WHICH SEGMENT OF THE FOOD INDUSTRY WILL SURMOUNT US$40 BILLION IN 2012. Here’s a hint: Frito Lay, Keebler and Nabisco. Snack food. We’ve seen it—a steady increase in demand for quick and convenient fare in the conference industry, breaks that are interesting, fun, convenient, nutritious and sometimes even “green.” For the planner of a multi-day conference, this can be a daunting task. No one wants to serve the same popcorn and peanuts every day for every break, nor do attendees want to see the same foods all the time. According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2010 Restaurant Industry Forecast, assorted and ﬂavored popcorn, nuts and baked chips are trending high on the convenience foods list. And while the industry forecast is usually on target, do planners see it the same way in the ﬁeld? I polled 44 more than 150 planners to ﬁnd out their favorite break foods. BAKED CHIPS. Sun Chips, particularly the new compostable package, were the top-ranked baked chip. Planners gave it high marks for convenience, its status as a healthier alternative to regular chips and the compostable package’s “green” factor. PRE-PACKAGED SNACKS. Those 100-calorie snack packs ranked highest on the quick, low calorie list. This is an item that most venues can easily procure and provide on special request without adding much to the budget line. There are a variety of ﬂavors and brands available: Nabisco, Keebler and even Yoplait have 100-calorie alternatives. FRESH FRUIT. Fresh whole fruit continues to be an economical, nutritious and ﬂavorful option KATJA MORGENSTERN, CMP, is a senior project manager for Meeting Consultants Inc. She is an active MPI member, speaker and industry veteran. She can be reached at kmorgenstern@meeting consultants.com. one+ 10.10

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of One + October 2010

One + October 2010
Contents
Energy of Many
Impressions
Design Thinking
Agenda
Thoughts+Leaders
SPIN Zone
Overheard
SoundOff
Signs of the Times
Focus
Top Spots
Connections
Irrelevant
Kill Your Résumé
Exceed Expectations
Live in Person
Snack Attack
Skin Deep
Playing God?
Gooooooal!
Untangling the Value of Social Media
Local Favor
Personality Order
Datascape Architect
Thriving Exhibits
Your Community
Making a Difference
Until We Meet Again

One + October 2010